After 15 years in the House of Representatives, Greens leader Adam Bandt has officially lost his seat in federal parliament - Melbourne, conceding defeat on Thursday.
Victorian independent senator Lidia Thorpe, a Greens colleague of Mr Bandt until she quit the party over its support for the Voice to Parliament, told National Indigenous Times "it's really sad to see Adam Bandt has lost his seat of Melbourne".
"I want to say to Adam - thank you for your service, thank you for your leadership, and thank you for believing in me personally and professionally," she said.
The Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung senator said fears of a Dutton government drove up Labor's vote in Melbourne and across the country.
"We see that voters drank the Kool-Aid of some of Labor's messaging around concerns of having a Dutton government. Many people voted Labor because they were scared of a Dutton government. A lot of voters out there don't understand the preferential electoral system that we have to deal with, and the more we educate voters I think we will see a lot more seat changes for the better in this country," she told National Indigenous Times.
"I hope we have a better result in the next election that sees more minor party and more independent representatives holding whichever government we have accountable, for a brighter future for all of us."
At the latest count, Mr Bandt received 40.2 per cent of the primary vote, and Labor's Sarah Witty secured 31.5 per cent, but preferences from other parties including the Liberals delivered victory to Ms Witty.
The Greens leader was an advocate of Australian law upholding the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP), with a particular focus on: Free, prior and informed consent; Foundational Rights; Self-Governance and Rights to Representation; Language cultural and spiritual identity; Rights to Country, resources, and our knowledge; Protection of Country; Participation, development, and economic and social rights; Life and Security; Education, information and employment; and Non-discrimination and equality.
Under Mr Bandt's leadership, the Greens backed the Uluru Statement from the Heart, calling for Truth – "Establish a Truth & Justice Commission"; Treaty – "Enact a national Treaty and/or Treaties with First Nations peoples in this country, sovereign to sovereign"; and Voice - "Subject to Treaty negotiations, establish a national First Nations Voice to be included in the governance of Australia, as determined by First Nations peoples".
Mr Bandt was first elected in 2010 with the assistance of preference from Liberal voters, whose party's how to vote cards had directed voters to preference him above the ALP candidate. However, in 2013 and at every subsequent poll, the Liberals encouraged their voters to preference Labor – setting the MP a mountain to climb.
He was re-elected in 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022 to set a record as the longest serving Greens House MP.
The boundaries of the seat of Melbourne were recently redrawn, carving out pockets which were transferred to the seat of Wills. Wills subsequently saw a swing of 2.4 per cent to the Greens, but was retained by the Labor Member Peter Khalil.
Every Greens senator up for re-election on the weekend was returned, and the minor party retains 11 senators, with two from each state bar Victoria, where Senator Thorpe became an independent in 2023.
At the time, Mr Bandt said Senator Thorpe was welcome to remain a Greens senator despite her opposition to the Voice being at odds with the party's policy.
Senator Thorpe is seeking re-election in 2028.
