# Climate campaigner takes Greens deputy role

> Steph Hodgins-May, shaped by family tragedy, elected deputy leader of Australian Greens and vows to take on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
- Title: Climate campaigner takes Greens deputy role · the Guardian
- Summary: Steph Hodgins-May, shaped by family tragedy, elected deputy leader of Australian Greens and vows to take on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Steph…
- Keywords: steph hodgins-may, australian greens, david shoebridge, anthony albanese, climate policy, australian politics, senate, news, politics, Climate, campaigner, takes
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/03/tragedy-and-loss-helped-forge-steph-hodgins-may-into-a-steely-climate-campaigner-now-shes-taking-on-anthony-albanese
- Published: 2026-10-02T15:00:12+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: steph hodgins-may, australian greens, david shoebridge, anthony albanese, climate policy, australian politics, senate, news, politics
## Tsunami changed everything
Steph Hodgins-May quit her job as a corporate lawyer in Melbourne after visiting Samoa following her mother's death in the two thousand nine tsunami.
## Farm roots and dinner table politics
Born in Ballarat to a fifth-generation farmer and school teacher, Hodgins-May grew up discussing politics with her father, an organic farmer, local councillor and later mayor.
## Law felt meaningless
Hodgins-May realised her legal work on Bourke Street in Melbourne felt completely and utterly meaningless when she saw the destruction climate change caused in Samoa.

> My work as a lawyer, sitting up at my desk on Bourke Street felt suddenly just completely and utterly meaningless.
## UN work and broken promises
After leaving law, Hodgins-May worked as a support negotiator at the United Nations and for AusAid on climate and food security in the Pacific.
## Bob Brown sparked the spark
In two thousand eleven, watching a two thousand three video of Bob Brown protesting against George W Bush in parliament gave Hodgins-May the courage to join the Greens.

> This is the courage that I want. This isn't incrementalism. This is challenging power.
## Second tragedy strikes
In two thousand seventeen, Hodgins-May's father Rod was killed in a car crash by a driver with methamphetamines in his system.
## Years of unsuccessful campaigns
Hodgins-May ran four times in two different federal seats in safe Labor electorates before entering parliament in two thousand twenty-four, replacing retiring Victorian senator Janet Rice.
## Mentors see enormous potential
Former Greens leaders Bob Brown and Richard Di Natale both say they knew from first meeting Hodgins-May that she had enormous potential and huge capacity for change.
## Not your typical Greens stereotype
Di Natale describes Hodgins-May as warm, engaging and sharp, with a background as a farmer from regional Victoria that differs from the Greens stereotype of inner-city lefty.
## Parliament still sizing her up
Labor, crossbench and Coalition sources offer different accounts of Hodgins-May's personality. Some see her as protest-focused rather than policy-driven, others admire her environmental commitment.
## Time to play hardball
Hodgins-May says the Greens must work harder and faster, and we've got to play hardball because incrementalism isn't going to cut it in addressing climate change.

> We've got to play hardball. We know that incrementalism isn't going to cut it.
## Elected on mother's anniversary
Hodgins-May was elected deputy Greens leader on Wednesday, the seventeenth anniversary of her mother's death, and says she feels her parents' energy with her.

> I reckon David and I are going to get some really fun stuff done.
## Key takeaway

Steph Hodgins-May, newly elected deputy leader of the Greens, says the party must work faster and play hardball to challenge the government on climate and environment.