The leader of the Greens in Australia, Adam Bandt, has admitted defeat in his Melbourne electorate, acknowledging that he narrowly missed winning his seat. Although the Greens received the highest number of votes in Melbourne, Bandt explained that preferences from One Nation and the Liberal Party would ultimately ensure a Labor victory. He emphasized that to have won in Melbourne, the Greens needed to surpass a combined effort from the Liberal, Labor, and One Nation parties, which proved to be an insurmountable challenge.
In a statement, Bandt congratulated Sarah Witty, the Labor candidate for Melbourne, and wished her the best for her term as the incoming member for Melbourne. Despite the loss, Bandt thanked the Melbourne community for their consistent support over the past 15 years and noted a rise in the number of “purple seats” across the country, where Labor MPs are elected with the help of Liberal preferences and Greens act as the opposition.
The Greens conceded defeat in two other seats, Brisbane and Griffith, but are expected to retain their influence in the Australian Senate, which may still grant them the balance of power. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dismissed the Greens’ optimism about their influence, criticizing the party for obstructing important legislation during the last parliamentary term.
Several media outlets had predicted the loss for Bandt on Wednesday, but the Greens had not officially conceded until Bandt’s announcement. Mehreen Faruqi, the deputy leader, had earlier indicated that the party was waiting for the count of absentee and other ballots. Bandt’s potential successors as Greens leader have not been publicly discussed, but speculation centers around Faruqi and Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/08/greens-leader-adam-bandt-concedes-defeat-in-seat-of-melbourne
