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David Shoebridge has been elected leader of the Greens with Steph Hodgins-May as deputy, after Larissa Waters stepped down due to ill health. Shoebridge won a three-way ballot and said the party would fight corporate greed and fill the vacuum left by Labor.
David Shoebridge has been elected as the new leader of the Greens, with Steph Hodgins-May elected as deputy. The decision was made by the 11-member party room in Sydney on Wednesday after the shock resignation of Larissa Waters, who on Monday revealed she was stepping aside due to deteriorating health issues.
Senator Shoebridge, from New South Wales, won a three-way contest against former deputy Mehreen Faruqi and Sarah Hanson-Young, the manager of Greens business in the Senate. It was a rare leadership ballot for the party, which has in the past decided leaders by consensus. Senator Shoebridge won with seven votes, while Senator Hodgins-May had six votes. Senator Shoebridge becomes the sixth leader in the history of the environment-focused party.
Greens Leader Targets Labor Rightward Shift
He said he wanted the Greens to fill the vacuum that has been left by the Labor Party rushing to the right. We are here to beat down One Nation, and we are here to replace Labor and return hope and faith to politics, he said. Senator Shoebridge has served as a senator for New South Wales since 2022. He is a former barrister and member of the NSW parliament.
He has been in federal politics for just four years and is known for his forthright approach to attacking political opponents in Senate Estimates hearings and press conferences. He has also been prominent for his stances on defence and foreign affairs, including his opposition to AUKUS.
Announcing a new face for the Greens, Senator Shoebridge said the party would take up the fight against corporate greed, naming the gas lobby, AUKUS, artificial intelligence and fossil fuel billionaires as issues of concern. This is an extraordinary moment in politics and we can all feel it, he said at a press conference on Wednesday. We can feel that politics as usual is not providing the answers that people are desperately calling for now.
Steph Hodgins-May Elected Deputy Leader
The deputy leadership has gone to Steph Hodgins-May, who entered the Senate in 2024, replacing Janet Rice. While only in parliament for a little over two years, the Victorian senator has appealed to young voters through sharp social media posts and spearheading the push for a 25 per cent gas tax. We are excited by what we can and must do as Greens, a statement from Senator Shoebridge and Senator Hodgins-May said before the leadership vote.
This is the time to build our movement as the home for every Australian who want action on the climate crisis, a fair return from our resources, a secure home and income, and to not sell out our independence to the US or the one per cent. The new leadership comes days after Senator Waters decision to step down from the leadership due to health issues.
Leadership Change Follows Election Defeat
The Queensland senator took the reins after the disappointing outcome at the 2025 election saw the minor party lose three lower-house seats, including the electorate of former leader Adam Bandt. The Greens hold the balance of power in the upper house and have a primary vote of about 12 per cent in most opinion polls. The party voted for the new leadership team during a two-day policy meeting in Sydney. The result was confirmed on Wednesday after the party room ballot.
7NewsSydney
abcnews:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
David Shoebridge Steph Hodgins-May Greens Leadership Larissa Waters Australian Politics Australian Greens
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