Full Breakdown
Larissa Waters Steps Down as Greens Leader Amid Health Concerns
By Drooid · · How we work
Resignation Announcement
On September 28, 2026, Senator Larissa Waters announced she is stepping down as leader of the Australian Greens because of worsening chronic kidney disease. In a virtual party-room meeting she said she must “go at a slower pace” to focus on recovery and will take medical leave, though she intends to return to the Senate as soon as possible.
Recent Leadership Tenure and Policy Wins
Waters assumed the Greens’ top position in May 2025 after former leader Adam Bandt lost his Melbourne seat. During her roughly 16-month tenure, the party secured several legislative achievements:
- Amendments to Australia’s environmental laws that tightened land-clearing controls and prevented fast-tracking of coal and gas projects (November 2025).
- Separation of gun-safety measures from hate-speech legislation, leading to firearms reforms in January 2026.
- Use of the Senate balance of power to stall National Disability Insurance Scheme reforms and launch a parliamentary inquiry into those changes.
Waters described these as “significant wins” for the Greens.
Party Dynamics and Leadership Contest
The Greens’ parliamentary numbers have contracted since the 2025 election: the party lost its lower-house seat in Brisbane, saw Senator Dorinda Cox defect to Labor, and lost influence as Labor gained Senate numbers, reducing the Greens’ cross-bench leverage.
Potential successors mentioned in party discussions include Deputy Leader Mehreen Faruqi, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Tasmanian Senator Nick McKim, NSW Senator David Shoebridge, and newer senators such as Steph Hodgins-May and Penny Allman-Payne. A secret ballot of Greens MPs is scheduled for the coming week to select the new leader, and a party-room meeting will determine the next steps.
Data & Statistics
- Age: 49 years.
- Tenure as leader: approximately 16 months.
- Greens’ primary-vote share: reported as steady since the 2025 election.
- Seats lost in 2025: Adam Bandt’s lower-house seat (Melbourne), Max Chandler-Mather’s seat (Brisbane), and a Senate defection (Dorinda Cox).
Official Statements & Responses
Waters’ statement emphasized gratitude for her leadership role and the need to “pass the torch” to a healthier successor. Party officials indicated that a party-room meeting will be held “in coming days” to discuss the transition, and that the secret ballot will be conducted “this week.” The Greens reiterated their commitment to environmental reform, gun-safety legislation, and disability-policy scrutiny.
What’s Next
The Greens will hold a secret ballot among their MPs within the next week to elect a new leader. A party-room meeting is also scheduled to formalise the leadership change and outline the party’s strategy heading into the next federal election.
Verbatim Quotes
- “For some time now I’ve been quietly managing chronic kidney disease alongside doing the work I love. But recently it’s taken a downturn, and I need to be honest with myself about not being invincible,” — Larissa Waters, senator