A woman has been convicted and sentenced to a community work order after she allegedly punched Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2024, with full details of the case emerging only after a suppression order was lifted by Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. The conviction follows a sentencing hearing in June at which the court was told the accused had committed a second act of violence while on bail, complicating her prospects before the magistrate.
What happened outside the MCG? #
Ebony Bell was convicted of assaulting Senator Thorpe in an incident that Victoria Police is understood to have investigated following the alleged attack near the MCG. The court was told that Bell had approached the senator and allegedly struck her, with the motivation attributed — according to what was put before the court — to a belief that Thorpe had in some way disrespected Bell’s mother. VCN understands the incident occurred in 2024, though the precise date of the alleged assault remains subject to what has been formally placed on the public record.
Thorpe, who represents Victoria in the Australian Senate as an independent, is a Djab wurrung, Gunnai and Gunditjmara woman and one of the most prominent First Nations voices in federal politics. The nature of a public figure being allegedly assaulted in a public space outside a major Melbourne venue drew significant attention, though suppression arrangements had previously prevented the full details from being reported.
Why was there a suppression order? #
Suppression orders are granted by Victorian courts for a range of reasons, including to protect the integrity of ongoing proceedings, to prevent prejudice to a fair trial, or in some instances to protect the identity or safety of parties involved. In this case, Melbourne Magistrates’ Court lifted the order ahead of or following the June sentencing, allowing the public and media to report on the specifics of what the court had been told.
VCN does not speculate on the grounds on which the suppression was originally made or lifted — that is a matter exclusively within the court’s jurisdiction. What is now on the public record is that a conviction has been entered and a sentence imposed.
A second act of violence while on bail #
The sentencing proceedings in June were complicated by what the court was told was a second incident. According to what was put before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, Bell committed what the magistrate described as a second “gratuitous act of violence” while on bail following the original MCG-related charge. The court was told this conduct was taken into account during sentencing.
A bail condition typically requires a person charged with an offence to remain of good behaviour and, in many cases, to refrain from committing further offences. Where a person on bail is alleged to have reoffended, prosecutors may apply to revoke bail, and the conduct can be raised at the sentencing stage for the original matter as relevant background — though it does not, in and of itself, constitute an admission of guilt on the new allegation without separate findings.
Bell was initially directed to complete an anger management course as part of conditions related to the MCG matter, the court was told. The subsequent alleged conduct while on bail appears to have influenced the magistrate’s ultimate decision on the appropriate sentence.
The sentence: what a community work order means #
Melbourne Magistrates’ Court ultimately imposed a community work order on Bell. In Victoria, a community work order — which sits within the broader framework of community correction orders under the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) — requires an offender to complete unpaid community service work for a specified number of hours, supervised by Corrections Victoria.
Community work orders are typically reserved for matters where the court judges that punishment and rehabilitation can be achieved without a custodial sentence. They can be accompanied by conditions such as supervision, treatment programs, or geographic restrictions. Breach of such an order can result in the matter being returned to court and a more serious penalty being imposed.
VCN is not in a position to report the precise number of hours ordered without a further confirmed statement from the court or court documents formally available to this newsroom. Readers seeking the full terms of the order may wish to contact Melbourne Magistrates’ Court directly.
Senator Thorpe’s public profile and context #
Lidia Thorpe has been a central figure in Australian political debate, particularly on matters of First Nations sovereignty, treaty, and the Voice to Parliament referendum held in October 2023. She parted ways with the Australian Greens in early 2024 and has since sat in the Senate as an independent, describing her position as aligned with a “blak sovereign” movement.
Public figures in Australia carry reduced expectations of privacy in relation to their public roles, but they retain full protections under the law against physical assault. The fact that an alleged assault on a sitting senator proceeded through the Victorian criminal justice system to conviction is a matter of legitimate public interest, independent of any political views Senator Thorpe holds or that others hold about her.
VCN does not editoralise on Senator Thorpe’s political positions, and this article addresses only the court proceedings and their outcome.
What happens next #
Bell’s matter in relation to the MCG assault has now been finalised at first instance with the community work order. VCN understands the second alleged act of violence committed while on bail may be the subject of separate proceedings; however, we are not in a position to confirm the status of any such matter at time of publication. We will update readers as further information becomes available on the public record.
If Bell were to appeal the conviction or sentence, the matter could return before the County Court of Victoria. As no appeal has been confirmed on the public record at time of writing, the conviction stands as handed down by Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
Transparency and the public record #
The lifting of a suppression order in a case such as this is a reminder of the role the open-justice principle plays in Victorian courts. With narrow exceptions — including protections for complainants in sexual offence matters, children involved in family law or Children’s Court proceedings, and jurors — Victorian courts operate on the presumption that proceedings are public and reportable. Suppression orders are the exception, not the rule, and their lifting restores the public’s right to know what has been determined in their name.
VCN will continue to monitor the public court record for any further developments in proceedings related to Bell’s bail-period conduct. We have approached Victoria Police for a statement on the broader investigation and will update this article upon receiving a response.
The matter relating to the MCG assault has been finalised at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. Ebony Bell is presumed to have been entitled to the presumption of innocence throughout the proceedings; that presumption has now been displaced by the court’s finding. All persons facing separate or further charges, if any, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Support services: If you or someone you know has experienced violence or needs support, the following services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: Safe Steps (family violence) 1800 015 188 — 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732 — Lifeline 13 11 14 — Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 — 13YARN (First Nations crisis support) 13 92 76 — Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
