Greens leader Adam Bandt defeated in Melbourne, leaving party without its captainBy political reporter Jake EvansTopic:Australian Greens34m ago34 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 5:59amAdam Bandt will leave the Greens leaderless after being defeated in his seat of Melbourne. (ABC News: Nick Haggarty)In short:The leader of the Greens has been defeated by Labor after a days-long count for his seat of Melbourne.The party did not expected Mr Bandt to lose, and the Greens leader told supporters on Saturday night he would retain the seat.What's next?The Greens will have to search for a new leader.abc.net.au/news/greens-leader-adam-bandt-defeated-sarah-witty/105258468Link copiedShareShare articleGreens leader Adam Bandt has lost his seat of Melbourne after a tight count that stretched over several days.The ABC is projecting Labor's Sarah Witty will win the seat after Mr Bandt suffered a 4.4 per cent drop in his primary voteMr Bandt has little in common with defeated Liberal leader Peter Dutton but the pair now share the misfortune of being party leaders who lost their own seats in an election that saw Labor romp home.A former lawyer, Mr Bandt in 2010 became the first Greens candidate to win a seat at a federal election, and went on to hold the seat at four more elections.His first-term also had him in the hot seat in a turbulent minority government with former prime minister Julia Gillard and three independents.He quickly rose through the ranks of the Greens and in 2020 was made the party's leader.He was championed within the party after seeing the Greens pick up another three seats at the last federal election, all in Queensland.But the collapse of the Liberal vote in this election, saw Labor's fortunes rise in those seats and knock off Brisbane MP Stephen Bates and high-profile first-term MP Max Chandler-Mather in the seat of Griffith.Ms Witty, who was chief executive of non-profit the Nappy Collective, will succeed Mr Bandt in Melbourne.Adam Bandt and Max Chandler-Mather were both defeated at this election. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)Mr Bandt's defeat will come as a shock to the party, who as recently as Tuesday believed he would retain the seat, and even sent messages on Saturday night to supporters confirming Mr Bandt would hold it.Senators Sarah Hanson-Young and Mehreen Faruqi, respectively the manager of Greens business in the Senate and the deputy leader, are considered potential successors to Mr Bandt.The party still retains the lower house seat of Ryan, held by Elizabeth Watson-Brown, and was an outside chance of winning Wills with its candidate Samantha Ratnam, the party's former Victorian leader, but that seat has been called for Labor.It is expected to hold the balance of power in the Senate.Adam Bandt told supporters late on election night that he had retained his seat. (AAP: Diego Fedele)The Greens leader was once a Labor member, but left as a teenager reportedly disillusioned by the Hawke and Keating government decision to end free university places.He worked an industrial and public interest layer, and after joining the Greens first contested for the seat of Melbourne in 2007, narrowly losing to then-shadow finance minister Lindsay Tanner.He was elected in 2010 on a vow to push for a price on carbon — a key condition for his support of a Labor minority government, forcing Ms Gillard to break her promise not to introduce a carbon price.Mr Bandt's central focus over his time in parliament has been climate change and the renewables transition, but he has also led the party to campaign on dental services in Medicare, housing, the war in Gaza and other social and economic issues beyond the environment.How the Greens rebrandedPhoto shows a male politician wearing a shirt saying 'fighting for renters' at a press conferenceFounded on Australia's environmental movement, the Greens have shifted focus to rental affordability. Some say it's an "incredibly smart" strategy. In the last term, the Greens became a target of the government's ire in negotiations on its $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, as well as a number of environment bills.The hard negotiating approach the Greens took on those bills was used by Labor to campaign in Greens-held seats on the party "delaying" the legislation.In his 2010 maiden speech, Mr Bandt identified his election to parliament as a cry from voters for climate action."While elections have often played to the worst in us, politics can also have a much more hopeful, optimistic future, for there is another side to humanity: one that sees someone in trouble and extends a helping hand; one that says we need more love, not less; one that offers hospitality even when times are tight; and one that says it is better to live within the limits of the planet rather than putting everything on the never-never and leaving our children and grandchildren to pay the debt," Mr Bandt said in 2010."To everyone in Melbourne who exercised their powerful votes and put me here: I am grateful and humbled. You should know that your votes have already had an impact. It is a joy to be here on your behalf and I hope that I can do justice to you, the people of Melbourne, as your first Greens representative."LoadingPosted 34m ago34 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 5:59am, updated 21m ago21 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 6:11amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesWilson takes parting shot at Daniel in a teary victory speechTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A man in a grey jacket and white collared shirt smiles in front of a crowd dressed in blue shirts that say "Tim Wilson".Peter Dutton lands in Canberra as Coalition MPs divide on nuclear policyLIVEPhoto shows Peter Dutton walks through an airport with microphones and cameras surrounding him.Multiple fatalities after retaliatory strikes between India and Pakistan, officials sayLIVEPhoto shows A man rides his motorbike through rubble in the darkFull-scale war looms 'if missiles start raining' between India, PakistanTopic:ExplainerPhoto shows Debris of an aircraft lie at the backyard of a house in KashmirCourt shown CCTV footage of Erin Patterson leaving hospital against medical adviceLIVEPhoto shows A digital drawing of Erin Patterson wearing a pink shirtRelated storiesHow the Greens rebranded from activists to the 'party of renters'Topic:Australian GreensPhoto shows a male politician wearing a shirt saying 'fighting for renters' at a press conferenceRelated topicsAustraliaAustralian Federal ElectionsAustralian GreensElectionsFederal GovernmentGovernment and PoliticsPolitical Parties and MovementsTop StoriesWilson takes parting shot at Daniel in a teary victory speechTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A man in a grey jacket and white collared shirt smiles in front of a crowd dressed in blue shirts that say "Tim Wilson".Peter Dutton lands in Canberra as Coalition MPs divide on nuclear policyTopic:ElectionsMultiple fatalities after retaliatory strikes between India and Pakistan, officials sayTopic:Unrest, Conflict and WarFull-scale war looms 'if missiles start raining' between India, PakistanTopic:ExplainerCourt shown CCTV footage of Erin Patterson leaving hospital against medical adviceTopic:Law, Crime and JusticeJust InDoctors on the brink: Burnout, unsafe shifts, and a system in collapse Topic:Doctors and Medical Professionals4m ago4 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 6:29amWater gushed for weeks before McCrae landslide, inquiry toldTopic:Landslides18m ago18 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 6:15amBeloved Darwin grocer honoured at public funeral after fatal stabbingTopic:Funerals and Memorial Services27m ago27 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 6:06amBudget-friendly breakfast ideas for Mother's DayTopic:Recipes34m ago34 minutes agoWed 7 May 2025 at 5:59amMore Just InBack to top