Senior Greens figures say new leadership must stop Labor approving fossil fuel projects ‘by whatever means’

No excuses for next leader of party, Adam Bandt says, while Bob Brown warns they must also be able to take on Pauline Hanson and One Nation

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

The former Greens leader Adam Bandt says the party’s new leadership team, which could be chosen as early as today, will face mounting pressure from grassroots members to block the Labor government from approving any new coal and gas projects “by whatever means”.

He told Guardian Australia there would be no excuses for the new leader, likely to be elected at a two-day retreat in Sydney which begins today, to allow the Albanese government to approve any new fossil fuel development.