Greens MPs were blindsided on Monday. Waters, elected leader in May last year, will take medical leave and intends to return to the Senate. A Sydney retreat was already planned; leadership is expected to be settled by Thursday at the latest, by ballot or by negotiation in the 11-person party room.
TL;DR: Waters stepped down for health reasons. Hanson-Young is in. Faruqi, Shoebridge and possibly McKim are in the mix. The new leader should be clear by Thursday. Do not invent a finished contest before the party room votes.
Status note: Checked 29 September 2026 against Guardian Australia. Declarations can change through the retreat. Treat leadership as open until the party room announces.
Why Waters left
In a letter to members, Waters said illness had cut her time as leader short. She cited work with Labor on environmental laws and the response after the Bondi beach terror attack, and said the movement needed someone ready to take up the fight. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wished her well and noted the travel load on a minor-party leader.
Internal frustration had grown that a more moderate style left the Greens unable to exploit voters leaving Labor and the Coalition. Adam Bandt and other MPs lost seats in 2025. One Nation has pressed into third-party space. That pressure shapes what colleagues want next.
Who is running
Hanson-Young, the party's longest-serving federal MP, said she was asking colleagues for support and promising to fight Labor, the Liberals and One Nation. Deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi is considering her options. Defence spokesperson David Shoebridge would not rule a tilt in or out. Treasury spokesperson Nick McKim is also floated. All positions may be declared vacant; deputy talks could include Steph Hodgins-May and Penny Allman-Payne.
What changes for voters
Until Thursday, policy lines stay with caretaker messaging. After the ballot, watch tone on Labor deals and on One Nation more than a sudden rewrite of climate plank text. Waters remaining in the Senate keeps her vote in play once she returns from leave.
For readers outside the party room, the false headline to avoid is a settled coronation. Hanson-Young is the only declared runner so far. Faruqi and Shoebridge can still move. A negotiated ticket without a formal ballot is also possible in an 11-person room. Treat social-media victory laps before Thursday as noise.
Sources: Guardian Australia on Waters and leadership contenders.