The shake-up
The Australian Greens are in a lowkey crisis mode. After Larissa Waters dropped the bombshell that she’s resigning as leader to focus on treatment for kidney disease, the party room is in a full scramble to find a replacement. Her exit was a total curveball, blindsiding her own colleagues on Monday.
Who’s in the running?
It’s giving 'leadership contest' energy. Sarah Hanson-Young, the party’s longest-serving federal MP, has already officially put her hat in the ring. She’s promising to take a much more aggressive stance against Labor and One Nation, aiming to re-energize the party.
Behind the scenes, the plot thickens. While Hanson-Young is vocal about her intent, others are lurking in the shadows. Deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi is 'considering her options,' while defence spokesperson David Shoebridge is playing his cards close to his chest—neither ruling a run in nor out. Nick McKim is also being floated as a potential contender. The 11-member party room is heading to a retreat in Sydney, where they’re expected to settle this by Thursday.
Why it matters
The Greens are feeling the pressure. After major figures like Adam Bandt lost their seats in the 2025 election and One Nation started eating into their territory, there’s a sense that the party’s previous moderate vibes weren't hitting. The new leader is going to have to be a real one and pivot to a more forceful approach to claw back influence, or risk fading further into the background as political sands shift.
