Larissa Waters Elected as New Leader of the Greens Party

Waters, who has served in the Senate since 2010, contested the leadership against Senators Mehreen Faruqi and Sarah Hanson-Young.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters and Leader Adam Bandt and hold a snap press conference in the Mural Hall at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on March 15, 2021. Sam Mooy/Getty Images

Queensland Senator Larissa Waters has been elected the new leader of the Australian Greens, following a party room meeting in Melbourne on May 15.

The leadership change comes after the party’s former leader, Adam Bandt, unexpectedly lost his seat of Melbourne in the May 3 election.

Waters, who has served in the Senate since 2010, was selected from a field that included Senators Mehreen Faruqi and Sarah Hanson-Young.

The decision makes her the fifth person to lead the Greens in federal parliament, following in the footsteps of Bob Brown, Christine Milne, Richard Di Natale, and Bandt.

Greens Lose Ground in Lower House, Hold Power in Senate

The party’s leadership reshuffle follows a disappointing federal election campaign, in which the Greens lost three of their four seats in the House of Representatives.

While their overall national primary vote only fell slightly, the losses were a significant blow for the party’s ambitions in the lower house.

Despite the setbacks, the Greens continues to wield considerable power in the Senate, where they have maintained their 11 seats.

With Labor potentially needing crossbench support to pass legislation, the Greens are again expected to play a key role in shaping policy—particularly in areas like climate and housing.

Waters is well-known for her work across a range of portfolios, including women’s rights, democracy, and environmental policy. She previously served as the party’s Senate leader and was a co-deputy leader alongside Bandt for several years.

Focus Back on Environment

Following the Greens’ heavy losses, party co-founder Drew Hutton called for a return to the Greens’ environmental roots and a more pragmatic political strategy.

Hutton, who helped establish the Queensland Greens and co-founded the national party with former Senator Bob Brown in the early 1990s, is currently suspended from the party over his opposition to the inclusion of male-to-female transgender individuals in women’s activities and sports.

“It wasn’t a disaster for the Greens. But the Greens have plateaued in their support,” Hutton told The Epoch Times, adding that preferences contributed to the end result.

“My concern is that they are not pursuing strategies which allow them to talk to ordinary Australians,” he said.