By the Online Editorial Team
The Australian Greens have elected David Shoebridge as their new federal leader, with Victorian senator Steph Hodgins-May chosen as deputy, following the resignation of Larissa Waters due to illness.
The leadership change marks a significant new chapter for the party, with Shoebridge signalling a more confrontational approach towards Labor while also promising to support legislation that delivers what he described as meaningful change.
Former co-deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi, who contested the leadership alongside Nick McKim, said she was disappointed by the result and renewed calls for ordinary Greens members to have a direct vote in future leadership contests.
Faruqi said she believed a party that describes itself as grassroots should allow its membership to choose its leader through a “one member, one vote” system.
She also confirmed she would not continue in the deputy leadership, saying she believed she could contribute more effectively outside the formal leadership team.
Shoebridge acknowledged the debate over how Greens leaders are selected and said further democratisation of the party would remain part of an ongoing conversation with members.
He said the new leadership team had been elected under the party’s existing rules but indicated he was open to reforms that could give members a greater role in future decisions.
The new deputy leader, Steph Hodgins-May, also expressed support for moving towards a grassroots leadership ballot in the future.
She said such a process had not been practical on this occasion because the party needed to replace Waters quickly following her decision to step aside.
The leadership change also appears likely to reshape the Greens’ relationship with the Albanese government.
Hodgins-May said she was prepared to “play hardball” with Labor and argued that the Greens should focus more directly on cost-of-living pressures and the concerns of everyday Australians while maintaining the party’s traditional emphasis on environmental issues.
Shoebridge similarly made clear that the Greens would not see their role as simply improving Labor’s policies.
He said the party would support serious reforms put before parliament but would continue to push for more ambitious measures.
Labor does not hold a majority in the Senate and often needs support from either the Coalition or the Greens to pass legislation, meaning the approach taken by the new Greens leadership could have a significant impact on negotiations in the upper house.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Labor would continue to negotiate with the Greens in good faith, while urging the party’s new leadership to focus its political attention on One Nation and the Coalition rather than Labor.
The change comes at a politically sensitive moment for the Greens, as the party attempts to redefine its strategy ahead of the next federal election while balancing environmental priorities with growing voter concerns over housing, wages and the cost of living.
For Shoebridge and Hodgins-May, the immediate challenge will be to unite the parliamentary party while responding to internal calls for members to have a greater say in how future leaders are chosen.
