Adam Bandt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adam Bandt
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Official portrait, 2021
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| Leader of the Australian Greens | |
| In office 4 February 2020 – 8 May 2025 |
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| Deputy | Mehreen Faruqi Larissa Waters< Nick McKim |
| Preceded by | Richard Di Natale |
| Succeeded by | Larissa Waters |
| Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens | |
| In office 21 July 2017 – 4 February 2020 Serving with Larissa Waters
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| Leader | Richard Di Natale |
| Preceded by | Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters |
| Succeeded by | Nick McKim and Larissa Waters |
| In office 13 April 2012 – 6 May 2015 |
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| Leader | Christine Milne |
| Preceded by | Christine Milne |
| Succeeded by | Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Melbourne |
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| In office 21 August 2010 – 3 May 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Lindsay Tanner |
| Succeeded by | Sarah Witty |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Adam Paul Bandt
11 March 1972 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Political party | Greens (since 2004) |
| Other political affiliations |
Labor (1987–1989) Left Alliance (1990s) |
| Spouse |
Claudia Perkins
(m. 2013) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Flemington, Victoria |
| Education | Hollywood Senior High School |
| Alma mater | Murdoch University (BA Hons) Monash University (PhD) |
| Occupation | Industrial lawyer (Slater & Gordon) |
| Profession |
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| Signature |  |
Adam Paul Bandt (born 11 March 1972) is an Australian politician and former industrial lawyer. He was the leader of the Australian Greens political party from 2020 to 2025. He also served as a member of parliament (MP) for the area of Melbourne in Victoria from 2010 to 2025. Before becoming leader, he was a co-deputy leader of the Greens at different times.
Bandt made history in the 2010 federal election. He became the first member of the Greens to be elected to the House of Representatives in a general election. He won his seat in Melbourne multiple times in later elections. In February 2020, he became the leader of the Greens after Richard Di Natale stepped down. Bandt lost his seat in the 2025 election and then resigned as party leader.
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Adam Bandt's Early Life and Education
Growing Up and School
Adam Bandt was born in Adelaide, Australia, on March 11, 1972. His mother was a teacher from England, and his father was a social worker. When he was about 10 years old, his family moved to Perth. He went to Hollywood Senior High School.
Later, he studied at Murdoch University and earned degrees in Arts and Law in 1996. He received a special award for his strong academic performance and leadership qualities.
Early Steps in Politics
Even as a teenager, Bandt was interested in politics. He joined his first protest in high school against a nuclear ship visiting Fremantle. For a few years, he was a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He later left the party because he disagreed with changes that made university education more expensive.
At Murdoch University, Bandt was very active in student politics. He was the president of the student union. He worked hard to campaign for students to receive more money for living expenses and for free education.
Before Becoming a Member of Parliament
After university, Bandt worked for student unions. Before he was elected to parliament in 2010, he became an industrial lawyer. He worked at a law firm called Slater & Gordon, representing unions and workers. He joined the Greens party in 2004. He wrote articles about how anti-terror laws might affect workers' rights. He also helped workers in the clothing industry and represented firefighters.
In 2008, Bandt completed his PhD at Monash University. His research looked at how the economy and laws are connected. He explored how governments might reduce people's rights during times of crisis.
Adam Bandt's Time as a Member of Parliament (2010–2025)
First Attempts to Enter Parliament
Bandt first ran as the Greens candidate for the area of Melbourne in the 2007 federal election. He ran against Lindsay Tanner from the Labor Party, who won that election. However, Bandt did very well for a minor party candidate.
Winning the Melbourne Seat in 2010
In the 2010 federal election, Bandt ran again for the Melbourne seat. This time, he won! He became the first Green candidate to win a seat in the House of Representatives in a general election. This was a big moment for the Greens party.
His main goals in parliament were to push for a price on carbon (a way to make pollution more expensive), end mandatory detention for asylum seekers, and change laws to allow same-sex marriage.
Serving as Deputy Leader of the Greens
In 2012, Bandt was chosen as the deputy leader of the Greens. This happened after Bob Brown retired from politics.
He was re-elected to his Melbourne seat in the 2013 federal election. He continued to serve on the frontbench (a group of important members) under leader Christine Milne.
In 2015, when Richard Di Natale became the new leader, Bandt decided not to run for deputy leader again because he was expecting a baby. However, he became a temporary co-deputy leader again in 2017.
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Bandt kept his Melbourne seat in the 2016 and 2019 federal elections. In 2019, he received the highest number of votes ever for the Greens in that area.
Leading the Greens Party (2020–2025)
On February 3, 2020, Richard Di Natale resigned as the Greens leader. The next day, Adam Bandt was elected unopposed as the new leader. Larissa Waters and Nick McKim became the co-deputies.
As leader, Bandt focused the party's efforts on a "Green New Deal" for Australia. This plan aimed to create new jobs and industries while dealing with climate change. He also worked to build better relationships between the Greens and communities in regional Australia, especially those involved in mining. He supported expanding the lithium industry for a zero-carbon economy.
Bandt hoped the Greens could work with a Labor government after the 2022 election. In that election, he kept his Melbourne seat. The Greens also gained more seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
In June 2022, Bandt removed the Australian flag from behind him at a press conference. He said it caused "lingering pain" for some Australians. This action received different reactions from people.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, Bandt tweeted that Australia should move forward to have a Treaty with Indigenous Australians and become a Republic.
Bandt led the Greens into the 2025 election. However, the Greens lost many of their seats, and Bandt himself lost his seat in Melbourne to Sarah Witty from the Labor Party. After these results, Bandt resigned as the Leader of the Green Party.
Adam Bandt's Political Ideas
Adam Bandt is known for being on the "left" side of the Australian Greens party. He emphasizes ideas like public ownership and community-led solutions to climate change. For example, when Virgin Airlines Australia faced financial trouble in 2020, Bandt suggested the government should buy the airline.
Bandt strongly believes that Australia should become a republic, meaning it would no longer have the British monarch as its head of state. He also supports important changes like the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, a federal treaty with Indigenous Australians, and stopping the use of fossil fuels.
Personal Life
Adam Bandt is married to Claudia Perkins, who works as a part-time yoga teacher. They got married in 2013 and have two daughters. The family lives in Flemington, in Victoria.
See Also
In Spanish: Adam Bandt para niños
Images for kids
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Adam Bandt's signature
