Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of all of my Greens colleagues, I would like to thank Senator Lee Rhiannon for over 50 years of service not just to the Greens but, indeed, to the country. She's been around for more than 50 years in Australian politics, which says less about Lee's age and much more about how much of her life she's dedicated to important political causes.

From a young age, Lee was an activist. She's been a significant figure in Australia's women, peace, environmental and social movements. As a teenager, she formed the group High School Students Against the Vietnam War. She was involved in the anti-apartheid movement, the Union of Australian Women and Women's Action Against Global Violence. Lee was the founder of two key Australian activist organisations: Coalition for Gun Control and Aid/Watch. The list goes on.

Most of us in this chamber would be aware—both through our own involvement and perhaps through some of our colleagues in New South Wales—of Lee's tireless work to promote participatory democracy and political transparency. She's a large part of the reason we've seen political donations reform in New South Wales. She has fought hard to stamp out corruption in New South Wales through an Independent Commission Against Corruption, amongst other things. And, while we might not have one here in the federal parliament just yet, it's only a matter of time. That hard work, done through the New South Wales parliament and now here through our federal parliament, will take us much, much closer to the goal of more transparency in this place.

Throughout her time in the parliament, and in her political career more broadly, Lee has maintained an approach to democracy that brings people together to collectively work on issues to achieve change. She was a huge part of the campaign to protect our universities from those vicious cuts from the former Abbott government and to safeguard workers' rights against WorkChoices. She has used parliament as a platform to give a voice to communities right across the country who want someone to stand up for them in this parliament and who want someone to stand up and fight against the oppression that's occurring not just here in Australia but right around the world.

We've been having a debate today on live animal exports. I know Lee Rhiannon has contributed to that debate, but Lee was campaigning for an end to the live animal export trade long before this issue was discussed in this parliament. She's been campaigning on it not just for the last few months but for many, many years. I've got no doubt that the time will come when we will see an end to that cruel and barbaric trade, and, while Lee might not be in this place, she will know that her work has made a significant contribution to that important change.

Lee has also smashed a few stereotypes and bruised a few egos around this place. She mentioned the AFL footy tipping. Well, I've got to tell you, there are a few people around here who think they know a thing or two about football and the NRL, but Lee has shown them up by consistently either winning or nearly winning all of the parliamentary footy tipping competitions.

We also shouldn't forget that she famously beat former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the Cole Classic, a two kilometre stretch of ocean swimming held at Manly Beach. To boot, I've never seen Lee, unlike the former Prime Minister, running around Aussies Cafe in a pair of red budgie smugglers.

In closing, Lee, for someone who never thought they'd see themselves as a member of parliament, your achievements have been significant. You've made a great contribution to the nation, to political activism and to the issues which form the basis of our political movement. You mentioned the four pillars in your speech. Your commitment to the four pillars—ecological sustainability, social and economic justice, peace and non-violence and, of course, democracy—has been a remarkable one. See you in the streets!