Federal election 2025: Greens leader Adam Bandt’s hopes of holding balance of power dashed

Greens leader Adam Bandt is facing an existential threat in his Melbourne seat, as the party’s lower house rise looks to be a one-term wonder.

Despite the Greens holding onto their primary vote, Mr Bandt was at risk of losing his seat of Melbourne late last night to Labor challenger Sarah Witty, following a 7.3 per cent swing towards the ALP.

Firebrand Griffith MP Max Chandler-Mather was also in trouble, with Labor’s Renee Coffey leading with 35.1 per cent of the primary vote around 9.30pm Perth time.

And Brisbane MP Stephen Bates is expected to be defeated by Labor’s Madonna Jarrett. Even though the Liberals lead in Brisbane, with Labor in second with just over 30 per cent of the vote counted, Greens preferences are set to get Ms Jarrett over the line.

Both Mr Bates and Mr Chandler-Mather finished third on the primary vote count.

The result will come as a huge disappointment to the Greens, who were hoping to have nine seats at the start of Saturday having started with four.

Instead, Ryan MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown could be left flying the flag for the party as its only member in the House of Representatives.

Her inner Brisbane seat remains too close to call with more than one-third of ballots counted, and the contest is expected to tighten as pre-poll results come in.

But the preference flows from the Liberals in third put the Greens in trouble.

The seat of Wills in Melbourne’s inner north is also a tight contest, where Labor incumbent Peter Khalil suffered a 7.6 per cent swing towards Greens’ challenger Samantha Ratnam.

The Greens’ nationwide vote was 13.4 per cent — slightly up from its result at the 2022 poll — with almost 29 per cent of the ballots counted on Saturday night.

“All indications are that we have held our primary vote and we cannot do much more than that and if Labor and Liberal work together on preferences, that is a bit out of our control,” Mr Bandt said.

The party had hoped to build its representation to play a key role in what was expected to be a minority government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had repeatedly refused to negotiate any deal with the Greens, such as the one that Julia Gillard signed with Bob Brown to secure a minority Labor government in 2010.

“One thing will be crystal clear: the Greens will play a big role in the next parliament, and we’re the ones pushing for the real lasting reforms,” Mr Bandt said earlier in the day.

“We would like to see dental into Medicare for everyone, but we need to take action on the housing crisis and the climate and environment crisis well.

“We put forward ideas that we think could get done this year.”

The Greens’ election platform also included taxing billionaires and big corporations, prioritising fully funding health services so people can see the GP for free, wiping all student debt and ending unlimited rent increases.