Dear friends,
This will be my final email to you as a Greens NSW Senator. However in resigning from parliament I am by no means retiring from politics.
I have been very fortunate in my life. Being a Senator with the opportunities it presents to work with communities and for social justice and the environment has been a huge highlight.
What I have loved about my parliamentary work are the opportunities it has opened up to work with people. That is the essence of my politics – to engage with people with the hope that they will become active for the public good. It is a key part of our democracy.
As a Senator I have worked with incredible, passionate people on numerous important campaigns and policy initiatives. There are too many to reminisce about in this email but a few recent examples are worthy of mention.
Building strong relationships with the Palestinian community has been a significant aspect of my work as it is an issue I have been aware of since my high school days. My travels to Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan and my work in parliament have provided the opportunity to challenge the dominant narrative and shed some light on the reality facing the people and the region. Here is a link to my most recent article on this issue. I look forward to continuing to work with the Palestinian and solidarity community.
I recently spent some time on Birri land up in North Queensland with the incredible Frontline Action on Coal (FLAC) crew who are on the ground and ready to get in the way should Adani get their funding for the Carmichael coal mine. FLAC are organising a convergence in Newcastle in September which I am looking forward to attending.
I picked up the housing portfolio after the 2016 election. At the moment we are putting the finishing touches to the Greens universal social housing initiative, you can visit our new campaign website here. This is not an attempt to make the housing market less brutal but a plan that will radically redefine what it means for housing to be a human right.
There are many exciting progressive movements on the rise that I look forward to being a part of. US President Trump is rumoured to be visiting Australia later this year. Activists from the broad Sydney left recently met for an exciting start to the Unite Against Trump Alliance. Our first organising meeting kicked off with more than 80 people planning a London-style Carnival of Resistance. Let’s give him the welcome he deserves.
Thank you for your support for Greens campaigns and policies and for your involvement in the fight for economic, social and environmental justice. My appreciation of Greens members and supporters has no bounds.
See you in the streets.
Lee Rhiannon
Lee Rhiannon 