Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young speaks out on party divisions

Larissa Waters, a former leader, resigned from the Senate on Monday due to serious health concerns. In the subsequent leadership ballot, Shoebridge was elected leader, with Mehreen Faruqi continuing as deputy leader. Hanson-Young was eliminated after the first ballot with two votes.

Following the vote, Faruqi criticized her colleagues for electing Shoebridge and called for rank-and-file members to have a say in future leadership elections. Greens sources indicate a strained working relationship between Shoebridge and Faruqi. Faruqi stated she plans to pursue "bold politics and radical action" from outside the leadership team.

Shoebridge, in an interview, said he and newly elected deputy Steph Hodgins-May received strong endorsement from colleagues. He expressed respect for Faruqi and her work, stating that Greens MPs wanted her to continue engaging with voters and members. Shoebridge committed to giving party members the right to vote in leadership elections for the next contest, a move that previously fell short of the required majority in 2020.