Overview
- Larissa Waters announced she has stepped down as leader of the Australian Greens because her chronic kidney disease has recently worsened, and she will take medical leave but remain a senator and intends to return.
- The Greens’ parliamentary party will hold a secret ballot in the coming days to elect a new leader, with deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi, Sarah Hanson‑Young, Nick McKim and David Shoebridge reported as possible contenders.
- Waters led the party after Adam Bandt lost his seat in 2025 and during her time as leader the Greens secured key policy wins, including reforms to environmental laws to protect native forests, influence on tougher gun measures, and delaying NDIS cuts for further scrutiny.
- The party’s primary vote has held steady despite competition from One Nation, and an internal debate between moderates and hard‑left members over strategy and messaging is likely to shape the coming leadership contest.
- The immediate test for the Greens will be whether a new leader maintains the party’s bargaining role in the Senate and preserves the policy agenda Waters helped build, while Waters’ medical leave raises questions about continuity of representation for Queenslanders.