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 work with the Greens, 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 donations, supporting local environmental campaigns, public education and promoting workers’ rights.
Lee resigned from the Senate in August 2018. She continues to work with communities on local housing campaigns, solidarity with Palestine and supports many other campaigns.
She is keen to support community campaigns. Lee’s details can be found under the “Contact” section of this website.
International work
Lee Rhiannon has undertaken extensive international work from setting up AID/WATCH, participating in a major peace delegation in response to the US military operations in Asia, attending global women’s conferences and assisting with solidarity and support for communities from other countries fighting for self-determination.
Lee has funded her travel and work in Palestine, Sri Lanka and Laos.
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2018 – Visit to Beirut to meet with representatives of groups working in support of Palestinians right of return and UNRWA.
2017 – Visit to Palestine and Jordan to visit refugee camps and meet with civil society representatives.
2013 – Fact-finding trip to Sri Lanka to investigate alleged human rights abuses and violation of press freedom ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Lee and New Zealand Greens MP, Jan Logie, were detained by Sri Lankan authorities on the last day of their trip.
2013 – Visit refugee camps in Gaza, West Bank and Beirut and meet with Palestinian NGOs to learn about the struggle for Palestinian self-determination.
2011 – Visit to Laos to meet with NGOs, the Lao government, AusAID and other Australian representatives about Mekong hydro power issues.
2011 – Conference of the Asian Forum for Parliamentarians on Population and Development on sexual and reproductive health issues in the region. Held in Bangkok.
2002 – Member of the International Peace Mission to Basilan organised by Focus on the Global South, Transnational Institute, the Institute for Popular Democracy and Akbayan Citizens’ Action Party. This delegation came together to investigate and report on the United States’ aggressive military actions in the Philippines that were threatening global stability.
1992-98 – Co-founder and Director of AID/WATCH, a member based organisation formed to campaign for Australian aid and trade programs that benefit people and the environment not Australian corporations.
1987 – Delegate to Women’s International Conference. Held in Moscow.
1985 – Delegate to NGO Conference marking the end of the UN’s Decade for Women. Held in Nairobi.
Contact
Lee Rhiannon
E – lee.rhiannon@gmail.com
M – 0400 350 067 or +011 61 400 350 067
W – leerhiannon.org.au
T – @leerhiannon
I – leerhiannon
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