Rural Affairs

Lee Rhiannon holds the rural affairs portfolio. She regularly visits regional communities in NSW, supporting rural and regional Greens groups who are campaigning for better public services, social justice and environmental outcomes.

Greens secure $13.7m in heritage projects for NSW

Commenting on the $13.7 million secured by the Australian Greens senators for 63 NSW heritage projects as part of the stimulus package, Greens NSW senate candidate Lee Rhiannon said enormous job creation and heritage protection benefits would flow to local communities.

Solution to Rees' environment blunder

It seems that NSW's conservation puzzle has too many pieces for Premier Rees to handle ... Lee has a clue for the Premier.

Reckless move paves way for China Shenhua's land grab for coal mining

Responding to today's decision of the Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan to allow China Shenhua to purchase rural properties in northwest NSW, Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said the sell-off would damage Australia's food security and our climate change obligations.

Budget short changes Western NSW transport and health

Commenting on the budget announcement today, Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said that rural and regional communities had been short changed by bad spending decisions and a lack of investment in local services.

China Shenhua land buy up suggests govt nod to mining

Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says news that China's biggest coal mining company, China Shenhua Energy, is purchasing prime agricultural land in the Watermark area where it has exploration rights suggests it is confident that approval will be granted for its mining venture to go ahead.

Govt, Nile, Shooters unite against Greens bill protecting prime farming land from mining

Government MPs, the Shooters Party and Rev Fred Nile today indicated they will vote against a Greens bill in the NSW Upper House designed to protect prime agricultural land from mining. Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said farming communities from the Gloucester and Liverpool Plains regions would be understandably disappointed at the outcome.

Greens move to protect prime farmland from mining

Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has kicked off debate in the NSW parliament on the Greens bill to stop mining on prime farmland in NSW and protect precious water resources and food production.

Grain on Rail Day

Wednesday, 31 March 2004 Thanks to the NSW Farmers Association for the chance to speak to you today...

Govt must invest in preventative health to plug looming gaps as hospitals close

Greens MP and Health spokesperson has called on the NSW Health Minister to commit to increasing preventative health services and community care, following today's reports that many small rural hospital facilities may be closed or downgraded because they are not sufficiently resourced to provide the standard of care recommended in the Garling Report.

Greens Rural Summit Orange: Public transport priorities

I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we meet on. Thanks to Jeremy Buckingham and other Greens members in western NSW for organising the first Greens Rural Summit. Successive governments, Coalition and Labor, have allowed rural and regional transport to deteriorate. After years of neglect rail services are in crisis. I do not say that to be alarmist. I believe we have a responsibility to acknowledge how serious the situation is in order to build "save our rail" campaigns that will be integral to turning around government policy.