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ABC News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Search for new Greens leader begins ahead of partyroom vote next week
The Greens partyroom is expected to cast votes for a new federal leader late next week, with the minor party left stunned by Adam Bandt's shock loss in Melbourne. Debate over who should take over the Greens leadership will take place against the backdrop of the Liberal Party leadership contest, which has narrowed to two likely contenders. Mr Bandt, who was lauded by the party after steering it's best-ever election result in 2022, officially conceded defeat to Labor's Sarah Witty in his long-held seat of Melbourne on Thursday. Live results: Find out what's happening in your seat as counting continues The toppling puts an end on Mr Bandt's 15-year career in federal parliament and leaves the Greens unexpectedly in search of a new captain. Senator Sarah Hanson-Young — who is seen as a potential successor — paid tribute to the outgoing leader on Thursday, saying "Greens all over the country are in shock". "We are grieving for what feels like the most unfair of outcomes," she said in a statement. "Adam's leadership has just delivered a huge result, putting the Greens into sole balance of power in the Senate, but he won't be in the parliament with us." The South Australian senator, who is the party's environmental spokesperson and the longest-serving federal Greens member, said she would not be making any further comment at this stage. Prior to Mr Bandt's concession, the party's current deputy leader, Mehreen Faruqi, told the ABC she had not been canvassing support within the party but did not categorically rule out putting herself forward if the leader lost his seat. "Adam is still leader and, can I say, Adam is a fantastic leader and we work really well as a team," she told ABC's RN Breakfast. "And I am hoping that he gets back in and we can continue on with that leadership team." Federal Greens rules dictate that all leadership positions are vacated and re-selected following an election. That typically occurs at the first partyroom meeting after the results are locked in. Mr Bandt said every member of the Greens partyroom was "incredibly capable" of taking over as leader and that he would not comment from the sidelines. "I'm going to leave it up to them," he told ABC Radio. "One of the things about being a smaller party, is that everyone is incredibly capable and everyone has been a frontbencher … there's no room for dead wood in a small party." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who days ago was re-elected in a landslide, on Thursday said the Greens had "lost their way during the last term", singling out Senator Faruqi for her attendance at a pro-Palestine sit-in outside his electorate office in Sydney's inner west. "I find it incredible that someone who is an elected office holder in the Senate thought it was appropriate to attend those meetings," he said. Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 federal election coverage Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on ABC iview and ABC Listen The deputy leader was among the Greens' most vocal critics of the government's response to the war in the Middle East, with the party's messaging on the issue driving away some voters. The party is projected to lose at least three of its four lower house seats, with the Brisbane seat of Ryan, held by Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown, still too close to call. It is expected to hold the balance of power in the Senate. Mr Bandt was the second federal party leader to lose his seat at this election, which also saw Coalition leader Peter Dutton ousted in Dickson. The Liberal partyroom will hold a ballot to elect a new leader on Tuesday morning, with Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley and Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor emerging as the likely contenders. Having trouble seeing this form? Try this link.
SBS Australia
08-05-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Greens Leader concedes defeat in seat of Melbourne
Greens Leader concedes defeat in seat of Melbourne Published 8 May 2025, 8:30 am Greens Leader Adam Bandt has conceded defeat in the seat of Melbourne, becoming the third Greens MP to be turfed out at this election. Despite finishing first on the primary vote, Bandt sustained a two-candidate preferred swing against him - Labor's Sarah Witty winning back the electorate, some 15 years after the Greens won it. The future of two prominent Labor ministers is also under question, as newly-elected ministers gathered in Canberra for the first time.
News.com.au
08-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Adam Bandt concedes battle for Melbourne, steps down as Greens party leader
Adam Bandt has officially conceded the seat of Melbourne, attributing his loss to an electorate redistribution and a One Nation and Liberal preferencing deal that urged voters to put Labor above the minor party, While the seat was called in favour of Labor's Sarah Witty on Wednesday, the party continued to hold out hope with about 15,000 ballots still unaccounted for. Mr Bandt, who is the second party leader to be ousted after Saturday's federal election, confirmed his defeat on Thursday. 'A short time ago I called the Labor candidate for Melbourne, Sarah Witty, to concede, congratulate her and wish her all the best as the next member for Melbourne,' he told reporters in Melbourne. He attributed his loss to a redistribution, which pulled in more Labor voters, and said many voters 'shifted their votes to Labor to keep Dutton out'. However, he said Liberal and One Nation preferences flowing to Labor was 'by far the biggest factor'. 'The Greens got the highest vote in Melbourne, but One Nation and Liberal preferences will get Labor over the line,' he said. 'To win in Melbourne we needed to overcome Liberal, Labor and One Nation combined, and it's an Everest we've climbed a few times now, but this time we fell just short.' Mr Bandt also thanked his constituents and party room colleagues and commended the party for its action on same-sex marriage, climate legislation and getting dental into Medicare for children. He also called on Labor to be bolder on environmental action and tackling inequality. 'The government now can't blame any independent senator for not making reforms – the only thing stopping getting dental into Medicare, stopping new coal and gas mines or rebalancing housing tax breaks is the government itself,' Mr Bandt said. 'If the government doesn't use its big majority to start actually cutting climate pollution and tackling Australia's massive inequality crisis, watch for a big swing at the next election and see those purple seats go Green.' Mr Bandt was first elected in 2010, became deputy leader of the Greens two years later and had led the party since 2020. In this campaign he has posed with giant toothbrushes and hosted DJ-ing events with influencer and former reality TV star Abbie Chatfield. Following Mr Bandt's concession, the Greens' presence in the House of Representatives has been reduced to the single seat of Ryan held by Elizabeth Watson-Brown despite the party securing its biggest national vote in history. Mr Bandt had previously set expectations sky high ahead of Saturday's poll, with claims the minor party could both retain their four seats and pick up another five – two in Melbourne, one in regional NSW, one in Western Australia and one in South Australia.
The Guardian
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Greens leader Adam Bandt concedes defeat in seat of Melbourne
Greens leader Adam Bandt has conceded defeat in his electorate of Melbourne, saying he had 'fell just short' of winning back his seat. 'A short time ago I called the Labor candidate for Melbourne, Sarah Witty, to concede, to congratulate her and to wish her all the best as the next member for Melbourne,' Bandt said in a statement. 'The Greens got the highest vote in Melbourne, but One Nation and Liberal preferences will get Labor over the line. To win in Melbourne we needed to overcome Liberal, Labor and One Nation combined, and it's an Everest we've climbed a few times now, but this time we fell just short.' As of Thursday afternoon, the Australian Electoral Commission's official online results put Labor's Sarah Witty ahead with 52.8% of the two party vote, compared to 47.2% for Bandt, with 63% of ballots counted. Witty leads Bandt by more than 2,700 votes, an 8.3% swing against the sitting member. While several media outlets and polling experts had called the seat for Labor on Wednesday afternoon, including the ABC's Antony Green, the Greens had not conceded defeat. As late as Thursday morning, deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi said the party was still waiting for absentee ballots and others to be counted. Bandt's statement continued with thanks to his community, saying the Greens would meet next week to discuss the new party leadership. 'I want to thank the Melbourne community for regularly giving me the highest vote, including this election, and to thank you for the last 15 years and the chance to do some amazing things together,' he said. Bandt's statement said there were now 'a large number of 'purple MPs' across the country: seats where the Labor MP is only elected on Liberal preferences and the Greens are the opposition.' While speculation has swirled about who would be named party leader if Bandt was unsuccessful in his re-election bid, Faruqi said she hoped he would manage to hold his seat. 'I am hoping that he [Bandt] gets back in and we can continue with that leadership team,' Faruqi told ABC Radio National. The Greens have conceded defeat in two other seats, Brisbane and Griffith, while Ryan MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown looks likely to hang on to her Queensland seat. Despite their numbers in the lower house being slashed, the party has pointed to their share of the national vote holding up against previous elections, and Senate results shifting that will likely deliver the Greens the sole balance of power in the upper house. Speaking to Sky News on Thursday, prime minister Anthony Albanese dismissed the Greens' spin, claiming 'it's pretty hard to see that they have a reason for any joy arising out of this election'. 'The Greens political party, I think, lost their way during the last term. They held up important legislation,' he said. 'How do you hold up legislation to have more public housing, to have emergency accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence? That was held up for month after month after month. How do you hold up environmental protections as well?' Bandt had held the seat of Melbourne since 2010, winning four consecutive federal elections. He had achieved a high-water mark primary vote at the 2022 federal election on 49.6%, increasing his popularity from 2019 by 0.3 percentage points. Staffers and party members remained hopeful even when the tables turned on the Greens leader's margin as postal and declaration votes were counted. A Greens spokesperson said the the party would not concede Melbourne while counting was still under way. Bandt supporters were hopeful on Wednesday that thousands of yet-to-be counted absentee and declaration votes will flow their way despite the historic trend favouring Liberal candidates. 'While there are many, many thousands of votes to be counted we are not conceding Melbourne. While we are ahead on primary votes, there is a chance that One Nation and Liberal preferences will elect the Labor candidate. The count needs to proceed,' the spokesperson said. Greens MPs and senators have been reluctant to talk about a future leader in the event Bandt lost his seat. However Faruqi and South Australian senator Sarah Hanson-Young are considered potential frontrunners as the next Greens party leader. More details soon …
