Meet the leaders: Senator Sarah Hanson-Young

Sarah Hanson-Young is a Greens Senator for South Australia. In this profile she reveals what she is most proud of in her career. 

What are you reading and/or listening to at the moment?
Wifedom by Anna Funder.

Did you make a new year’s resolution?
Eating breakfast! I often skip breakfast, this year I’ve decided to try and change that. 

What is the one thing you spend money on that could be considered an indulgence?
Good gin…. 

Following on from that, what brand is your current obsession?
Brand of gin? Oh there are so many good ones, but my favourite by far is KI Spirits from Kangaroo Island. 

Who do you most admire and why?
My sister Zoë … She keeps our family together. She’s a wonderful mother, aunt and daughter and she’s the best little sister. Zoë has an ability to be both tough as nails and compassionate all at the same time. She’s my inspiration. 

Is exercise a must or a grind and how do you fit it into your lifestyle?
Exercise is a must for me … I squeeze it in whenever I can. I travel a lot, and I never leave home without my runners and sports bra. I do meetings on the phone while I’m walking, and I catch up on my podcasts and morning news headlines while I’m running. 

What is the best piece of feedback you’ve received?
Listen, actively listen. Even if you think you’ve already heard it, listen for something new. 

What motivated you to run for public office? 
From a young age I believed that if something wasn’t right I needed to speak up and try and change it. All these years later that is still my motivation. 

What are you most proud of in your career?
When I started I was pregnant with my daughter. This election she is 18 and will be voting for the first time. That makes me proud. Proud of the young woman she is but prouder still that I have been able to show to women across the country that politics is a place for them. 

Yes it’s tough, but it’s worth it. And the more women of all backgrounds we have, the better our politics and parliaments will be. 

What keeps you awake at night?
The climate crisis. It’s here, it’s already having a devastating impact on our homes and livelihoods, and we are running out of time to stop it getting worse. 

 Was there ever a time when you felt stuck in your career and if so how did you work through it?
The best advice I have on this is to keep an open mind, do the work and take opportunities – even when they seem small or insignificant, you never know what may be around the corner.  

How are you using AI in your life?
I’m a fan of Perplexity. I use it for quick research on a topic, for summarising lengthy documents or to help get me started on writing something when I’m not feeling motivated. It really does help! 

What if anything would you like to see change for women in the workplace?
Respect for different work styles and better flexibility for working hours. Also, free childcare for all! 

What would you like your political legacy to be?
For standing up on the tough issues, for making politics relevant to people’s lives and speaking out when things needed to be said and needed to change.