Larissa Waters Named New Federal Greens Leader After Federal Election Losses

Larissa Waters has been elected unopposed as the new leader of the Australian Greens, following the federal election loss of former leader Adam Bandt in Melbourne, with Mehreen Faruqi named as her deputy. Waters, a Queensland senator and former environmental lawyer, urged the Labor government to use its recent electoral success to enact bold reforms, especially in environmental protection, criticizing previous timidity and laws favoring developers and miners. The Greens now hold significant balance of power in the Senate with an all-women leadership team, including Sarah Hanson-Young as Manager of Business, aiming to address climate change, housing, and cost of living crises. Waters emphasized the need for a progressive parliament and politics with heart to meet urgent social and environmental needs. Despite setbacks in the lower house, the party remains focused on strong parliamentary action to deliver meaningful change. The leadership change reflects internal Greens dynamics, with a consensus emerging after a secretive selection process that saw Waters emerge as the preferred choice.