Indigenous leader Pat Dodson tipped by Bill Shorten to take Joe Bullock’s Senate seat

Labor Party leader Bill Shorten has tipped indigenous leader Pat Dodson to replace outgoing Labor senator Joe Bullock, who quit parliament on Tuesday night after saying he could not campaign for a party that would bind its members to vote in favour of same-sex marriage.

With Bullock set to leave parliament within weeks, Opposition Leader Shorten said on Wednesday Dodson was his favoured candidate to take over the casual senate vacancy, claiming his “unmatched intelligence, integrity and achievement” would greatly add to Australian politics.

Shorten first met Dodson while he was with the union in 2003, and said the 'Father of Reconciliation' had opened his eyes to the “appalling poverty” of the indigenous people. He added that Dodson's move to politics would be a “win for Australia”.

“His advocacy and perspective will challenge all of us to face up to our shortcomings,” the Labor leader said.

Dodson, from Broome in Western Australia, is one of Australia’s most prominent indigenous leaders and former Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, a body established to recognise and promote the reconciliation process between indigenous people and the wider Australian community.

The Council was replaced with Reconciliation Australia in January 2000.

Dodson was also a member of the ALP during the 1980s, but left after a brief stint over wanting to not be aligned to one party.

“It became clear to me that this was a good opportunity that should not be passed up,” he said on Wednesday morning following Shorten’s announcement, adding that he was both honoured and surprised by the offer.

“Having spent much of my adult life trying to influence our national conversations, debate, government and the parliament from the outside, it is now time for me to step up to the plate. [It is time to] have a go at trying to influence those conversations, debates and public policies from the inside, as a member of the Senate and representing Western Australia.”

Former Labor Senator Louise Pratt, who herself was replaced by Joe Bullock, has said she would be re-nominating for the job. However, Shorten seems set on Dodson:

"Louise Pratt is an excellent senator and she’s got a contribution to make. On this occasion though, I'll support Pat Dodson.”

The Australian Senate is one of two houses of the Federal Parliament, and acts as a check on the government by scrutinising bills, legislation, policies and government admnistration.