Long time Greens senator Lee Rhiannon says goodbye to federal parliament this week, ending a career which saw her build a close bond with 2016 Greens candidate for Eden-Monaro Tamara Ryan.
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Sixty-seven-year-old Ms Rhiannon leaves parliament after losing her spot on the party’s upper house New South Wales ticket to Mehreen Faruqi, with almost two decades of experience under her belt in both state and federal politics.
Lee has been a great politician. One of few.
- 2016 Greens candidate for Eden-Monaro Tamara Ryan
“We respect Lee Rhiannon because she is truly democratic, believing in the power of people over the power of Parliament. Lee has been a great politician. One of few,” Ms Ryan said.
Ms Ryan, a former Candelo resident, said Ms Rhiannon built relationships with Bega Valley residents during her many visits to the region, even offering to lend a hand during the tragic March bushfire.
“Through working so closely with locals Lee knew many in the Tathra community and contacted them throughout the bushfires to check how her office could help,” Ms Ryan said.
She also threw her support behind Gweagal aman and Bermagui resident Rodney Kelly’s struggle to repatriate items from the British Museum, Ms Ryan said.
“Here in the Bega Valley, Lee Rhiannon has worked with communities continually, visiting regularly to consult the community on problems such as homelessness,” Ms Ryan said.
“She’s worked with Greens Councillor Cathy Griff on ways Bega Valley Shire Council can support moves towards a youth refuge, and levy empty homes to encourage more accessible housing and renting rights.”
Ms Ryan said it was Ms Rhiannon’s stance on foreign affairs which inspired her to join the party.
“I joined the Greens after volunteering in Palestine and seeing the apartheid conditions being violently met out against Palestinians by an imperial regime that Australia funds,” Ms Ryan said.
“Lee Rhiannon has been a consistent advocate on that issue, amplifying Palestinian voices for self-determination.”
Ms Ryan said she respects Ms Rhiannon’s decades long work fighting for “better wages and workers rights, the expansion of public education and healthcare, ending homelessness and tax loopholes, greater respect for human rights and refugees, real recognition for Aboriginal people and decolonisation, climate justice and protection of native forests”.
“Lee Rhiannon genuinely listens to directions from members and other community activists,” Ms Ryan said.
“One recent example was refusing to negotiate with Liberals on Gonski, pushing for the full funding model that Greens members and education unions support.
“For regional Australians, she listened to farmers and pushed strongly to end live cattle exports – to stop animal cruelty and help create local jobs.”
Ms Rhiannon’s last publicised visit to the Bega Valley on political business was in November last year, where she discussed affordable housing, the future of TAFE and regional forestry agreements.
