Lee’s bio
Lee Rhiannon has worked in the social justice and environment movement for five decades. She is a qualified zoologist and botanist.
Prior to commencing working with the Greens in 1998, Lee was the Director of AID/WATCH, the coordinator of the NSW Coalition for Gun Control and a member of the Women’s Advisory Council to the NSW Government. She has worked for a number of unions.
Lee is particularly committed to sharing the skills she has gathered over five decades of campaigning.
She was elected to the NSW parliament in 1999 and the Senate in 2010. As a Greens NSW MP and as a Senator Lee worked on a range of issues including exposing corporate political donation scandals, supporting climate action and local environmental campaigns, backing public ownership of public assets and services and promoting workers’ rights.
Lee resigned from the Senate in August 2018. She continues to work with a range of communities.
Lee’s details can be found under the “Contact” section of this website.
———————————————————————————————–
In 2011 Suellen Murray wrote a chapter on Lee for the book “Founders, Firsts and Feminists”.
Abstract from the chapter “Lee Rhiannon: A Lifetime of Political Activism
“For over 40 years, Lee Rhiannon has been active in Australian politics. She was a leader of numerous social movement campaigns before becoming a Greens member of parliament in the New South Wales upper house in 1999 and then winning a seat in the Australian Senate, which she will take up in July 2011. Rhiannon has been a strong advocate for a range of environmental and social justice issues, and continues to support political processes that promote participatory democracy.
Selection of Lee’s videos
Produced in response to requests from community groups; about some parliamentary issues and various campaigns.
Interview about work on International Observers Mission, monitoring Philippine election – June 2022
Statement in support of Kashmiri women to mark International Women’s Day – March 2022
Statement in support Free Abdullah Ocalan campaign – February 2021
Justice for three Kurdish women activists murdered in Paris in 2013 by agents of the Turkish state – January 2021
Support for global online protests against Duterte’s state terror – September 2020
First anniversary of Indian total takeover – Stand With Kashmir – July 2020
Genocide attack on Tamils – May 2020
“Jai Hind” salute to an India that is fair and just to all in these Covid times – May 2020
Action to end unjust wars – May 2020
Protest at international mining conference – October 2019
Back staff/student opposition to UNSW trimester plan – June 2019
Lee speaks about her mother, Freda Brown – October 2018
Chatloop – support for refugees – October 2018
Lee Rhiannon’s valedictory speech – August 2018
Greens and meat workers call to end live exports – May 2018
National Day of Action for Higher Education – March 2018
Protect kangaroos – Senate – February 2018
Liberals use loopholes to pocket developer donations – November 2017
Climate action – stop Adani coalmine campaign – November 2017
Support First Nations – time to reassess Australia’s history – September 2017
Greens support right of return for all Palestinians – May 2017
Release all Palestinian political prisoners – May 2017
About Lee and why she is a Greens MP – October 2016