Tragedy and loss helped forge Steph Hodgins-May into a steely climate campaigner. Now she’s taking on Anthony Albanese
Steph Hodgins-May has been elected as the deputy leader of the Australian Greens, transitioning from a background in law and international aid to climate-focused politics. Her career shift was heavily influenced by personal tragedy and a desire to address the climate crisis.
Why it matters
The rise of a new leader in a major political party signals potential shifts in national climate policy and legislative priorities.
Steph Hodgins-May, the newly elected deputy leader of the Greens and Victorian senator. Steph Hodgins-May, the newly elected deputy leader of the Greens and Victorian senator. Australian Greens Tragedy and loss helped forge Steph Hodgins-May into a steely climate campaigner. Now she’s taking on Anthony Albanese Greens party elders describe her obvious talent and determination to change things for the better, while political rivals’ verdicts vary wildly
Get our new political email , free app or daily news podcast
Krishani Dhanji Fri 2 Oct 2026 11.00 EDT Last modified on Sat 3 Oct 2026 01.13 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google It was during a visit to Samoa, soon after her mum was killed in the 2009 tsunami, that Steph Hodgins-May decided she could no longer work as a corporate lawyer.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in