Greens get tough on housing with new leadership

First-term upper house MP Sarah Mansfield has been named co-deputy leader of the Victorian Greens. Photo: SUPPLIED

A SHAKEUP to the Victorian Greens leadership has seen Western Victorian upper house MP Sarah Mansfield assume the role of co-deputy.

She steps into the leadership position alongside Prahran lower house MP Sam Hibbins, while Melbourne MP Ellen Sandell has been elected as the party’s new leader.

The move follows former leader Samantha Ratnam’s decision to step down as she prepares to take a run at the federal seat of Wills, located in Melbourne’s north.

Ratnam will leave the Victorian parliament later this year after a new candidate has been preselected to replace her.

Dr Mansfield said she was “honoured” to have been elected to the co-deputy position by the party.

“I entered politics because I am passionate about addressing inequality, including regional disadvantage,” she said.

“The Greens are here to give a voice to all those who are feeling let down by politicians.”

A first-term MP, Dr Mansfield has been a member of the Victorian upper house since her election in 2022.

Prior to entering parliament, she served as a councillor for the City of Greater Geelong and worked as a general practitioner.

“The Greens are not just here to hold governments to account – we’re also here to take them on,” Dr Mansfield said.

“We are not content to tinker the edges of deep-rooted inequalities. We are here to shake things up.”

Housing affordability and cost of living will remain key priorities for the party, with Sandell promising to “put pressure” on the Allan Labor government “to deliver the things people need”.

She has indicated her first move will be to push Labor to make unlimited rent increases illegal and to regulate investment properties listed on Airbnb in an attempt to free up homes for long-term use.

“The Greens have a positive vision for our future. We are here to get outcomes on the issues that are impacting people right now across our state, like housing affordability, cost of living, the climate crisis,” Dr Mansfield said.

“We will use our power in the upper house to achieve real change for people regardless of where they live.”