Lee's opinion piece on the the passage of the metadata laws was published today.

Mandatory data retention will not only bring about indiscriminate surveillance of all Australians — it will also enable the Liberal/ National government to supercharge its anti-union attacks.

All this is achieved with the backing of Labor.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (19:13): The Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015 should not be passed. My colleagues Greens senators Scott Ludlam, Christine Milne and Penny Wright have set out a very clear case as to why this bill should not be passed. The way in which the Liberal, National and Labor parties have colluded to rush through parliament this bill, which creates the government's mass surveillance regime, is a disgrace. It is a result of an ugly backroom deal between these parties.

The Greens are campaigning to stop the threatened cuts to the ABC and SBS which ABC Managing Director Mark Scott says will not spare the rural sector.

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull could become the saviour rather than the slayer of community television by adopting a spectrum efficiency approach Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon said today.

 "Minister Turnbull has been widely criticised for his latest communications plan that puts the interests of media chiefs before that of community television viewers," Senator Rhiannon said.

Greens Senator for NSW Lee Rhiannon says a bill scheduled to be introduced into the Senate today by Greens Leader Bob Brown would give communities like Bawley Point a greater say in where telecommunications towers are located, to address concerns about community health and environmental impacts.

“What Bawley Point residents now know is that current laws allow telecommunication companies like Crown Castles to skirt around local and state government planning laws, knee-capping the community’s right to be consulted,” Senator Rhiannon said.