Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation  Committee

Estimates hearings 16 October 2012

Adjournemnt speech - 26 June 2012

Senator Lee Rhiannon and NSW MP David Shoebridge joined forces today to thank former Wagga Wagga City Deputy Mayor Ray Goodlass for his ground breaking work as a councillor and as a community activist and to wish him all the best in his retirement.

“I heard the news that Ray Goodlass has had to retire from Wagga Wagga City Council due to ill-health with great sadness,” Senator Rhiannon said.

From across Sydney people came with their banners, their dogs, and their petitions in support of three magnificent fig trees in Yarranabee Park on New Beach Road Darling Point that are slated for the chainsaw.

Some out of touch Woollahra Councillors have voted to destroy these beautiful trees, so we were out in force. We gathered together under the canopy of these marvels of nature with a giant “Save our trees” banner.

Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee

Estimates hearings, 18 October 2011

Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government

Greens Senator and local government spokesperson Lee Rhiannon, in a speech to Federal Parliament celebrating 20 years of Greens representation on local councils, has highlighted Newcastle and Marrickville as home to the party's first elected Councillors in 1991.

Senator Rhiannon's speech to the Senate on Tuesday 20 September can be found here.

Greens Senator and local government spokesperson Lee Rhiannon today called on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to express clear support for recognition of local government in the Constitution, or risk the proposal being defeated by voters in a referendum as happened when the Liberal Party opposed the idea in 1974 and 1988 (‘Constitutional call over councils’).

Adjournment speech, Tuesday 20 September 2011