Larissa Waters facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Larissa Waters
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| Leader of the Australian Greens | |
| Assumed office 15 May 2025 |
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| Deputy | Mehreen Faruqi |
| Preceded by | Adam Bandt |
| Leader of the Greens in the Senate | |
| In office 4 February 2020 – 15 May 2025 |
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| Leader | Adam Bandt |
| Co-Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens | |
| In office 4 December 2018 – 10 June 2022 Serving with Nick McKim (2020–22)
Adam Bandt (2018–20) |
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| Leader | Richard Di Natale Adam Bandt |
| Preceded by | Rachel Siewert |
| Succeeded by | Mehreen Faruqi |
| In office 6 May 2015 – 18 July 2017 Serving with Scott Ludlam (until 14 July 2017)
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| Preceded by | Adam Bandt |
| Succeeded by | Adam Bandt and Rachel Siewert (acting) |
| Senator for Queensland | |
| Assumed office 6 September 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Andrew Bartlett |
| In office 1 July 2011 – 18 July 2017 |
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| Succeeded by | Andrew Bartlett |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Larissa Joy Waters
8 February 1977 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Citizenship | Australia Canada (until 2017) |
| Political party | Greens |
| Residences | Pullenvale, Queensland, Australia |
| Alma mater | Griffith University |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Signature |  |
Larissa Joy Waters (born 8 February 1977) is an Australian politician and a lawyer. She has been a Senator for Queensland since 2011, except for a short break. A Senator is a person elected to represent their state or territory in the Australian Parliament. Since May 2025, she has been the leader of the Australian Greens political party.
Larissa Waters was first elected as a Senator for Queensland in 2010, starting her role in 2011. In 2017, she had to leave the Senate because she also held Canadian citizenship. Australian law says that politicians must only be Australian citizens. After giving up her Canadian citizenship, she was able to return to the Senate in 2018. She has also served as a co-deputy leader for the Greens and as their leader in the Senate.
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Early Life and Education
Larissa Waters was born in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1977. Her parents were Australian, working and studying there. She moved back to Brisbane, Australia, when she was less than a year old. She grew up in Brisbane.
She went to primary school in Rainworth and finished high school at Kelvin Grove State High School. She studied at Griffith University, earning degrees in science and law. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a lawyer. From 2002 to 2011, she was a lawyer for the Environmental Defenders Office. This office helps people with legal issues related to the environment.
Journey into Politics
Larissa Waters first ran for election in 2006 for the Greens party in Queensland. She ran for a seat in the Queensland state election. She also ran in the 2007 federal election for the Senate. While she didn't win these first attempts, she gained more votes for her party.
Becoming a Senator
In the 2010 federal election, Larissa Waters was elected as a Senator for Queensland. This was a big step for her political career. In 2015, she became a co-deputy leader of the Greens, working with another Senator, Scott Ludlam. Richard Di Natale became the main leader of the party. She was re-elected to the Senate in 2016.
A Rule About Citizenship
In July 2017, Larissa Waters had to resign from the Senate. This happened because it was found that she was a citizen of both Canada and Australia. The Australian Constitution has a rule (Section 44) that says people elected to Parliament must only be Australian citizens.
Larissa Waters was born in Canada to Australian parents. She had always believed she was only an Australian citizen. She later found out that she had been a dual citizen since birth. After this discovery, she gave up her Canadian citizenship. Her Senate seat was then filled by another Greens candidate, Andrew Bartlett.
Back in the Senate
After giving up her Canadian citizenship, Larissa Waters announced she wanted to return to Parliament. In 2018, she was chosen by the Queensland Greens to run for the Senate again. When Senator Andrew Bartlett resigned, the Queensland Parliament re-appointed Larissa Waters to fill his spot. She returned to the Senate in September 2018.
She was re-elected as a Senator for Queensland in the 2019 federal election. In February 2020, the Greens leader, Senator Di Natale, resigned. Adam Bandt became the new leader. Since Adam Bandt was in the House of Representatives, Larissa Waters became the leader of the Greens in the Senate. This made her the second woman to lead the Greens in the Senate.
What She Works On
As a Senator and a leader in the Greens party, Larissa Waters works on several important issues. She focuses on:
- Women's rights and issues
- Mining and natural resources
- Making sure democracy works well
Leading the Greens
In May 2025, Larissa Waters became the overall leader of the Australian Greens party. This happened after the previous leader, Adam Bandt, lost his seat in the federal election. She was chosen from several other Senators and one Member of Parliament who also wanted the leadership role.
About Her Life
Larissa Waters has two children. Her first child was born in 2009. Her second child was born in 2016. In 2017, her baby made history by being the first baby to be breastfed in the Senate chamber.
