Former Greens leader Adam Bandt warned that the party’s incoming leadership, which could be elected at a retreat in Sydney as early as Wednesday, will face pressure from grassroots members to prevent the Albanese government from approving new coal and gas projects by any means.
Larissa Waters announced her resignation from the Greens’ leadership on Monday, citing a chronic kidney disease that has worsened in recent months and the demands of party duties. South Australian senator Sarah Hanson‑Young declared her candidacy for the leadership, while New South Wales senator David Shoebridge left his intentions open. Deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi announced a joint ticket with Nick McKim.
Bandt, now chief executive of the Australian Conservation Foundation, identified key climate flashpoints for the next leader, including the potential approval of Woodside’s Browse gas project near Scott Reef, gas fracking in the Beetaloo basin, and the use of fracked gas by data centres. He called for the new leader to block any new coal or gas mines and deforestation, insisting there is “no excuse” and that action must be taken by whatever means.
Party elder Bob Brown praised Waters as a “splendid” leader but stressed that the successor must extract significant reforms from Labor and confront both One Nation and the government’s failures. Polls show the Greens’ primary vote hovering around 12–15 % in 2025‑26, with no significant growth despite a surge in One Nation support. The party faces challenges in cutting through media narratives and dark‑money influences, according to state Greens member Sue Higginson, while grassroots members expect both conciliatory and activist approaches to policy.
