The Australian Greens are expecting strong competition for the Senate seat being vacated by South Australia's Penny Wright after she announced she was quitting politics to deal with a family illness.
All party members in South Australia will have a say in the choice of the new senator and the party's national acting leader Scott Ludlam said some well credentialled candidates were expected to apply.
"I have no doubt that someone good will come through," Senator Ludlam said on Friday.
Senator Wright, who is married to South Australian Greens MP Mark Parnell, said she was confident her decision to stand down was the right one.
"Life throws things at you that you don't anticipate and you make the decisions that you need to make at the time," she said.
"But I'm really confident that I'm leaving the Greens in a strong position.
"I'm disappointed to be leaving the Senate and my colleagues, but I know this is the right decision for my family and me.
"I'm very resolute and very clear that it is the right decision."
Greens leader Richard Di Natale said Senator Wright would be sorely missed by his federal team.
"While I am disappointed for her, I understand her reasons and fully support her decision," he said in a statement.
Senator Wright, a former lawyer, was elected to the federal parliament in 2010 and has focused on justice issues, mental health and veterans' affairs.
She will remain in the Senate until the Greens fill the vacancy, a process expected to take from eight to 10 weeks.
"Penny has made an enormous contribution," Senator Di Natale said.
Senator Wright said she was proud of her record in the Senate - which included helping to establish justice reinvestment pilot programs in SA - and was confident her successor would uphold her values.
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