Larissa Waters quits as Greens leader due to illness

Greens leader Larissa Waters has quit the party’s top job due to illness.

The party will hold a secret ballot of its MPs later this week to elect a new leader.

“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,” Waters said in a statement.

“My doctors have been clear: my prospects for recovery are good, but the best path forward means a slower pace of life than leading a political party allows.”

Waters, 49, plans to return to the Senate after time away dealing with her health, so her resignation as leader does not open a vacancy.

She said the minor party had achieved significant wins including protecting native forests in a deal with Labor to reform Australia’s 25-year-old environmental laws.

The Greens’ primary vote has remained steady since the election as voters have flocked to One Nation.

Some Greens MPs including deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi have expressed frustration that the party has not tapped into the same populist-left wave that has boosted the careers of New York City’s socialist Democrat Zohran Mamdani and UK Greens leader Zach Polanski. But the steady vote indicates the party’s support base is at least solid, unlike Labor’s shrinking support.

Contenders for the party leadership include Faruqi, Sarah Hanson-Young (a dealmaker considered too moderate by the party’s hard-left), environment-focussed Tasmanian senator Nick McKim, and hard-left NSW Senator David Shoebridge.

“Friends, you know that we don’t have time to waste. The battle for a safer climate, a fairer country, and against the corporate greed gripping Australia is here, and it’s urgent. It can’t waste a day, and nor can the Greens,” Waters said.

“I’m really sad that illness has cut my time as leader short. But our Greens movement is too important, and I want to pass the torch over to someone who is ready to take up the fight I’ll be taking some medical leave, and I’ll be back in the Senate as soon as I can, as one of your two Greens Senators for Queensland.“

Being your leader has been an extraordinary experience and an honour, and I want to thank you for what we’ve achieved together.“

more to come