The Australian Greens are preparing to elect a new leadership team at a two-day retreat in Sydney starting Wednesday, with multiple candidates vying for top positions as the party confronts mounting pressure to oppose new coal and gas projects ahead of the next federal election.
Former Greens leader Adam Bandt, now chief executive of the Australian Conservation Foundation, emphasized that the party’s incoming leadership must act decisively to block any approval of fossil fuel developments by the Albanese government. He highlighted key upcoming climate issues, including potential government decisions on Woodside’s Browse gas project near Scott Reef in Western Australia, gas fracking in the Beetaloo basin in the Northern Territory, and the use of fracked gas by data centres.
“There’s no excuse now, there’s no parliamentary blocker to stopping new coal and gas mines and to stopping deforestation,” Bandt said. “Just get it done by whatever means, whatever it takes to make that happen.”
The leadership election follows the recent resignation of co-leader Larissa Waters, who stepped down due to health reasons related to a chronic kidney condition. Waters said the demands of leadership, including extensive travel, had become incompatible with her focus on recovery.
Three tickets have emerged for the leadership race. South Australian senator Sarah Hanson-Young announced her candidacy on Tuesday, while deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi has declared her intention to run jointly with Nick McKim as her deputy. Meanwhile, senators David Shoebridge and Steph Hodgins-May have also confirmed their bids for leadership roles.
Former Greens leader Bob Brown praised Waters for her stewardship but stressed that the next leader must excel in negotiation, particularly in dealings with Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. Brown cautioned that the leader must be capable of securing substantial reforms rather than incremental changes and that they would face challenges from both political opponents and within the government.
Despite One Nation’s rising popularity in 2026, the Greens’ voter base has remained relatively stable. The party secured 12.22% of the primary vote in 2025, slightly below its 2022 figure of 12.25%. Polls this year have shown fluctuations, with the Greens’ support ranging from 11% to 15% across various surveys.
Former Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather has called for the party’s rank-and-file members, not just parliamentary colleagues, to have a say in choosing the new leader, reflecting ongoing discussions about internal democratic processes.
Bandt and Brown defended the Greens’ ability to resonate with the public, pointing to broader progressive mobilization and recent campaigns such as the push for a gas export tax, which drew the support of over 70,000 people despite government reluctance to pursue reforms.
NSW Greens upper house member Sue Higginson acknowledged the challenges the party faces in breaking through media narratives dominated by well-funded interests. She noted that grassroots members expect the leadership to balance activism with negotiation to advance the party’s agenda effectively.
As the Greens prepare for their leadership transition, the party’s future approach to climate policy and political strategy will be closely watched amid an evolving Australian political landscape.