Speeches
Cool the planet bite by bite!
I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay tribute to their history, culture and ongoing contribution to our communities. On behalf of the Greens thanks and congratulations to Lauren and all the organisers of the Sydney Vegan Expo. This is a huge undertaking.
ESL provision in public schools
On behalf of the Greens thanks for the invitation to speak today. The Greens party strongly backs the call of the NSW Teachers Federation for a boost in ESL services in our public schools.
How to respond to racial vilification
On behalf of the Greens thanks for asking me to speak. The topic you have asked me to talk on - racial vilification - is topical, and that is quite tragic. Racial hatred and the abuse and victimisation that so often go with people's irrational feelings of racism I feel is on the rise. At the same time I also believe there is a great appreciation of different cultures and religions in our society. These statements may appear contradictory but I do believe in our diverse society these two tendencies can occur simultaneously.
Revitalising progressive politics
Thanks to the organisers for the invitation to speak. Revitalising progressive politics is an excellent topic for discussion. As we run helter skelter from one campaign to the next we don't give ourselves enough time to reflect, consider and discuss where our quest for political and social change and environmental protection is taking us. I am sure we will have a useful dialogue today.
Green futures for coal communities
Thanks for coming to this public forum. Susie Gemmell, who works in my office, and I are visiting the Lithgow region as part of our work with coal communities. The trip we undertook today around the Lithgow region has again reinforced the common challenges coal communities are facing - air and water pollution, loss of habitat, loss of jobs, poor or non-existent mine rehabilitation, mining companies that put little back into local communities, and the lack of useful monitoring of the impact mining has on public health and the environment.
Mining and manufacturing in the Hunter - a Greens perspective
Thanks for the opportunity to speak at today's forum. And congratulations to the organisers. I believe today's gathering can make an important contribution to bringing forward industry policies that work for local communities and the environment. There are industries in the Hunter that destroy jobs, rather than create jobs. Many industries are in transition and today we are keen to assess how we can work together to ensure that process is positive.
Launch of Be Informed: ASIO and anti-terrorism laws information kit
Congratulations to the UTS Community Law Centre for producing the kit, Be Informed: ASIO and anti-terrorism laws information kit.. How shameful that at the beginning of the 21st century basic human rights are being so seriously eroded in the name of fighting terrorism.
Commemoration of Death of T. J. Hickey
On behalf of the Greens thankyou for the invitation to speak tonight. I would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, the traditional owners, of the land on which we meet. On behalf of the Greens I wish to extend our sympathy to the family and friends of T J Hickey.
Humanist Society
The rise of the religious right is very real. While their vote is relatively small, money is not in short supply and they have powerful friends. They are a growing political force in this country and one we need to factor into our own work for a secular society committed to equity for all.
Greens' Jobs & Environment Seminar
Thank you to the organisers, This seminar means a great deal to me because in many ways my life has straddled the trade union movement and the environment movement. My first job at fourteen was at the MUA and I returned to work there later. I have also worked with various environment groups. I think what we are grappling with today goes to the heart of how we are going to achieve a Greens' vision and I am using 'Greens' in the wider sense of the word.
Stop Trafficking Women
Congratulations to the organisers of this forum. Tonight we will leave here more informed about the trafficking of women. I would suggest that for all of us we also need to leave committed to taking action to stop this modern form of slavery. The trafficking of women is a gross violation of one's human, social and economic rights. We need to oppose it on an international level and within our own countries. The Australian Greens have links with Greens parties in other countries and we will use these connections to take this work forward.
Restructure Rail Rally
These are dark days for public transport. Our public rail system should be world class. But under the present minister, Michael Costa commuters cant be sure if the train will arrive and rail workers cant be confident that they will retain their job.
Young people from diverse sexualities - the right of access and equity
I acknowledge we meet on Aboriginal land and I pay tribute to their elders. We live in contradictory times. In this country attitudes and services for people of diverse sexualities are very variable.
Corporate Homicide and Criminal Negligence
Today's announcement by the Minister for Industrial Relations Mr della Bosca that the government will amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act to cover industrial manslaughter is welcome.
A public future - surviving downsizing and other inroads
Where is the NSW Public Sector heading? This is a very relevant question as governments of both labor and liberal persuasions too often resort to downsizing, job cuts, relocations and yet more restructuring.
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.
Sniffer dog protest - Newtown, Sydney
They are a massive intrusion on the rights of people the police choose to target with their dogs. Being sniffed by a dog in a police operation in a pub, on a train or at a footy match is insulting, intimidating and plain unnecessary.
Mandatory Imprisonment Seminar
On behalf of the Greens, thanks for the opportunity to comment at the end of tonight's forum. Sentencing options are being debated in our parliament and in our wider society, so it is useful to have this opportunity to explore the issue in some depth.
Rally against M4 East Motorway
It's time Sydney said no to the building of more motorways. Motorways now criss-cross Sydney and with every one that is built, traffic increases, communities are divided and air pollution worsens.
Launch of John Jiggens latest book - Sydney Connection
I'm about to turn 53. Now these days growing old is given a bad rap but I think it has a lot going for it. One of the delights is that you have many years and events to look back on, to marvel at and wonder about.
May Day greetings from the Australian Greens
Today we join with millions of people around the world in solidarity and celebration. In particular we must remember our Iraqi brothers and sisters. Today they will defy the invading troops from the US, Australia and other countries to celebrate May Day. But they still cannot celebrate in peace.
Justice for Refugees Easter Protest
On behalf of the Greens thanks for invitation to speak today. I acknowledge the Aboriginal traditional owners of this land. Prime Minister John Howard is a liar. And with the federal election looming you can bet his lying days are not ove
Grain on Rail Day
Thanks to the NSW Farmers Association for the chance to speak to you today. The Greens have a longstanding commitment to public transport, and the rail network in particular. We have been campaigning to protect the remaining CountryLink train services from being taken off the rails.
Launch of Greens private members bill
Thankyou for coming to the launch of the Greens private members bill - Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Equality in Education and Employment) Bill. When someone misses out on a job, or is abused or not served in a shop because of their sexuality, or disability or gender, our society suffers.
Newcastle Bicentenary
Ms LEE RHIANNON [9.08 p.m.]: As Newcastle's bicentenary approaches, the city's inhabitants are getting ready to celebrate their history. But this milestone is also a perfect opportunity to look to the future and to think about what kind of city Newcastle is becoming. Newcastle is growing and it is changing. It is still in touch with its heritage as an industrial city, but it has become much more than just a mining and manufacturing town.
Developer Donations (Anti-Corruption) Bill.
Ms LEE RHIANNON [4.44 p.m.], in reply: I thank the members who took the time to consider my bill and debate it. Some members have indicated they will not support the bill. I will make some brief comments on the concerns they raised. I was pleased to hear the member Don Harwin acknowledge that we must tackle the issue of donations, though I am not sure if this reflects the thinking of his Federal colleagues. Recently, according to the Australian Financial Review, Treasurer Peter Costello held a $10,000-a-head dinner for 10 executives at a banker's house in Hunters Hill. That same week the Millennium Forum held a fundraising lunch for the Liberal Party at the Wentworth Hotel. This is identical to Labor's frequent cash-for-access events at swanky hotels. Mr Harwin's main concern seems to be that the Liberal fundraisers are not as successful as Labor Party ones. I presume that this is what he means when he talks about the lack of a level playing field.
Firearms Testing
Ms LEE RHIANNON [5.31 p.m.]: Testing of firearms knowledge and safety is in the hands of shooting organisations in many States. In New South Wales the two key organisations are the New South Wales Firearm Safety and Training Council Ltd [NFSTC] and the New South Wales Shooting Association Ltd [NSA]. The Chair of the NSA is Alex Comino while the Chair of the NFSTC, Charles Copeman, former chief executive of resources giant Peko Wallsend, is a close associate of the Prime Minister. I understand that Mr Copeman does not hold a shooters licence. The NFSTC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the NSA, which received $600,000 when Mr Ted Pickering was Minister for Police.
Can your research influence Government and change the world?
The topic for my talk is whether or not your research can influence governments and save the world. The answer is absolutely yes - as long as we go about it the right way. Scientific research has had an uneasy relationship with governments irrespective of their political bent. Perhaps the real question is - does research influence governments, or do governments influence research? The unfortunate truth is that in politics there is rarely such a thing as pure science - and if you want to save the world, scientists can't afford to ignore the political context.
Private Public Partnership
It's great to see you all here today, because when we decided to hold this forum, we were worried nobody would come. The trouble was the word "Public-Private Partnerships", or PPPs. It's a very bureaucratic word, a dull word. Your eyes pass over it in a sentence. It sounds harmless - it's a partnership, like people holding hands or getting married. It's hardly a word that would get you out to a public forum in the middle of the city - unlike the word "privatisation"
Speech to Launch Campaign to Increase Funding for Victims of Landmines
Good morning everyone, and welcome to Parliament House. It gives me great pleasure to launch this campaign today. This theme for this meeting today is "a promise worth keeping".
Achievements and challenges: Violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Thankyou for the invitation to speak at your annual conference. I am honoured. As a Greens MP I readily accept invitations such as yours - I see them as part of the job description. The Greens have a policies on violence and on domestic violence - I was told recently that we are the only party that does. But still when I received the invitation I wondered if I should accept. Myself and my party do not have a track record of actively working on these issues so I did think do I have a right to speak.
Speech to the Public Education Rally (2003 state election)
On behalf of the Greens thanks for the invitation to participate in this forum. Members of the Greens are strongly committed to campaigning for public education both inside and outside Parliament.
Lobbying in NSW
Thankyou for the invitation to speak to you about lobbying and I would like to congratulate the ACTU for organising this event. I have been a Greens MP for four years and there has been a number of occasions in that time when those of us who work in the Greens parliamentary office have wished that union representatives would lobby the cross benchers in the NSW Upper House.
Public Meeting for People in the Disability Services Sector
Thanks on behalf of THE GREENS and congratulations to Sue Becker and others who worked so hard to get this meeting together. Your presence here today sends a loud and unambiguous message to the Howard government - stop playing politics with disability services.
Speech on Energy Options
Thank you on behalf of The Greens and congratulations on organising this excellent event. I have been asked to speak today about energy options. Time is running out for this planet, its ecosystems and its people. Global warming is a frightening reality that demands immediate and direct action both at an individual level and as a community. If we don't change our addiction to burning fossil fuels and to other climate damaging activities soon, we will not only be robbing our children of the quality of life we enjoyed, we will be damaging the very basis of life on this little planet.
Speech for Public Education Day
Public education is a passion for me - it is a passion because I love politics and we can't ever talk about far reaching social change that our society needs without fighting for the very best in public education, and that means slashing and slashing deep funding to the private school system.
Speech on Sustainable Housing
It's great to be here - to be with so many people interested in sustainable housing shows how far we have come. On behalf of the Greens Party thanks for the invite to participate in today's forum. As a Greens member of our state parliament, inevitably a great proportion of my work is on the issue of development. Our office is always being contacted by community groups who are outraged over one proposal or another, and we do what we can to assist. Because of this pattern of work, we are sometimes seen as anti-development and I often am questioned as to whether or not there is such a thing as good development.
How to use assistive technology in School, TAFE and University
The Greens Party has a passionate interest in social justice and the environment. Thank you for the invitation to speak today. Assistive Technology, AT, is exciting, as it can assist people with disabilities to lead more independent lives, to undertake courses, to surf the World Wide Web and to enjoy life.
Learning the lessons of history - building global peace
Lee Rhiannon spoke at a Public Forum in Bangalow about building global peace, including the subjects of modern warfare and the war in Afghanistan.
Dental forum – 1 April 2009
Thanks for the opportunity to speak. The history of dental politics – is one of fine words, often good policies, but a successive failure of political will at Federal and State level to deliver dental health services to all.
Joan Carey 21 April 2009
The last time I saw Joan was at a morning tea in the NSW parliament. Joan regularly came to these events for older activists where we would discuss the key political issues of the day.
Cry Me A River by Steve Posselt
The Murray-Darling is not dead but Steve Posselt's book leaves one in no doubt about what we are up against. Steve’s last four words are “and they are dying”.
Is Australia Ready For a Republic?
I'd like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay tribute to their history, living culture and continuing contribution to the community.
Are we solving the urban water crisis?
I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land where we meet and pay tribute to their history, living culture and ongoing contribution to our communities.
Phyllis Johnson, OAM
Phyllis Johnson is a remarkable woman. Next week she turns 90. she has had a hard, but remarkable life.
Sydney Marriage Equality Rally
Lee spoke at the Marriage Equality Rally in Sydney on March 20. Other speakers included Geoff Field from 2DayFM, Norrie mAy-welby, and Gina Wilson from Oll Australia.
Relationships Register Bill 2010
Last night the NSW State Parliament passed the Relationships Register Bill 2010, bringing NSW into line with similar legislation in Tasmania, Victoria and the ACT, and catching up with the public’s acceptance that people's love and intimacy can be expressed in a variety of ways. Following is the transcript of Lee's speech to the Bill in parliament.
From global crisis to Green future
At the end of June, Lee spoke at a SEARCH Foundation conference about the future of the left in Australia.
Stop the Northern Territory Intervention Speech
In February, Lee spoke at a Stop The NT Intervention Rally in Redfern
