2025-06-04
Leader of the Australian Greens Senator Larissa Waters has announced the party’s new portfolio allocations ahead of parliament returning in July.
As Leader of the Greens, Senator Larissa Waters has announced she will prioritise women’s safety as a leader-level issue in the next parliament, as shocking new longitudinal data reveals men’s violence against women is increasing. Senator Waters will continue as the Greens spokesperson for women and will prioritise women’s policy across various areas of policy, including health, housing and workplace relations.
As Leader of the Greens Senator Waters will take the climate and energy portfolio, drawing on her legislative expertise as an environmental lawyer in her pre-parliament career. In her legal career Senator Waters led high profile litigation that protected biodiversity and world heritage-listed sites, stopped native species extinctions and broadened environmental impact assessments. The new allocation will appoint fellow environmental lawyer Senator Steph Hodgins-May as the assistant Climate and Energy portfolio holder.
Following the departure of Senator Cox, Senator Waters will also take on the First Nations portfolio. The Greens are the only party to retain a full-throated commitment to Truth, Treaty, and Justice. The Greens also support the full and immediate implementation of recommendations of the Deaths in Custody report as well as the Bringing Them Home report on the Stolen Generations. The failure to act on these recommendations by successive governments continues to lead to poorer outcomes for First Nations people and closing the gap targets getting further out of reach. The Greens’ party room is united in its commitment to achieving First Nations justice, and will be elevating it through all of their portfolios – from health and housing, to climate and environment.
Deputy Leader of the Australia Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi retains all of her portfolios and will represent the Greens on climate adaptation, resilience and emergency management.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will continue to ably represent the Greens as spokesperson for Environment and Water, and Arts and Communications.
Senator Barbara Pocock will take on the responsibility for championing action on the housing crisis so that whole generations are not locked out of affordable housing, and adds responsibility for workplace relations to her capable hands.
Senator David Shoebridge builds on his expertise in taking on Foreign Affairs, and Peace and Nuclear Disarmament.
The recent election saw the Greens placed in the box seat this term, where they will hold the sole balance-of-power in the Senate.
Quotes attributable to Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Larissa Waters:
“This parliament could achieve real progress: climate and environment action, dental into Medicare, free childcare, and meaningful action on the housing crisis. With the Greens being in sole balance of power, there is no excuse now for Labor to resist real reform to help people and nature.
“Women’s safety and equality will be a priority of my leadership, as will acting on the climate and environment crisis plus the housing and cost of living crises people are facing.
“We are in an epidemic of violence against women, and yet frontline support services are still not fully funded to support everyone who seeks help. The Government could readily fix that.
“Labor’s decision to delay until after the election their approval of the dirtiest gas project in Australia’s history is proof that Labor is still on the payroll of the big gas corporations, while the Greens are the only party with a science-backed plan for a safe climate future.
“Voters across this country delivered the Greens the sole balance-of-power in the Senate and Labor now has a choice: work with the Greens for climate action and dental into Medicare, or work with the Liberals to keep opening up new coal and gas and tinker around the edges of the housing and cost of living crises.”
Greens portfolios for the 48th Parliament:
Larissa Waters
Leader of the Australian Greens
- Climate Change & Energy
- Women
- First Nations
Mehreen Faruqi
Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens
- Education - Tertiary
- Anti-racism
- Climate Adaptation, Resilience and Emergency Management
- International Aid and Global Justice
- Animal Welfare
- Republic
Sarah Hanson-Young
Manager of Business in the Senate
- Environment & Water
- Arts & Communications
Nick McKim
Senate Whip
- Economic Justice & Treasury
- Forests
- LGBTIQA+
Penny Allman-Payne
Party Room Chair & Deputy Senate Whip
- Social Services
- Education - Primary & Secondary
- Older People
- Transition, Regional Development & Northern Australia
- Sport
Peter Whish-Wilson
- Agriculture
- Science, Industry & Innovation
- Trade & Tourism
- Healthy Oceans
- Waste & Recycling
Jordon Steele-John
- Health & Mental Health
- Disability Inclusion and the National Disability Insurance Scheme
- Youth
Elizabeth Watson-Brown
- Transport, Infrastructure & Sustainable Cities
- Assistant for Veterans Affairs
Barbara Pocock
- Housing & Homelessness
- Finance
- Workplace Relations, Jobs & Employment
- Public Sector
David Shoebridge
- Foreign Affairs, Peace & Nuclear Disarmament
- Defence & Veterans Affairs
- Home Affairs, Immigration, Citizenship & Multicultural Affairs
- Justice
- Digital Rights & IT
Steph Hodgins-May
- Early Childhood Education
- Democracy
- Resources
- Assistant for Climate Change & Energy
- Transport, Infrastructure & Sustainable Cities in the Senate