David Shoebridge elected Greens leader, vows to replace Labor

• David Shoebridge was elected leader of the Australian Greens after winning a 7–4 contested ballot against Mehreen Faruqi.
• The internal vote follows the sudden resignation of former party leader Larissa Waters due to a worsening kidney condition.
• The new leadership team aims to build a mass political movement to challenge and ultimately replace the Labor party.

New South Wales Senator David Shoebridge has been elected as the new leader of the Australian Greens after securing seven votes to four in a preferential ballot held in Sydney.

The contested vote was triggered by the resignation of Senator Larissa Waters, who stepped down to manage a chronic kidney condition after taking over the position following the 2025 federal election.

"This is the moment to fill the vacuum that has been left by the Labor party rushing to the right," said Australian Greens Leader David Shoebridge.

Victorian Senator Steph Hodgins-May was elected as deputy leader on a joint ticket, while primary opponents Mehreen Faruqi and Sarah Hanson-Young were eliminated during the preferential counting process.

Shoebridge stated that his overarching strategy will focus on expanding grassroots involvement and positioning the minor party to replace Labor in parliament.

The leadership change comes as the party seeks to rebuild its broader voter base after losing three lower-house seats during the previous election cycle.

Moving forward, the new executive team faces the dual challenge of navigating internal calls for democratic ballot reform while maintaining their leverage as the key balance of power in the Senate.