Don't be silly Lee.

Well, Lexi it seems I have to do your research for you. I can't understand why you can't look up facts for yourself?

Perhaps you could begin by looking at Mark Aaron's book Family File.

Aarons says "Lee Brown (she later changed her name to Rhiannon) and I grew up together as young COMMUNISTS and cut our political teeth in anti–Vietnam War and anti-racist campaigns."

She joined the pro-Soviet Socialist Party in 1973 after a split within the Communist Party of Australia over the invasion of Czechoslovakia. The Socialist party was simply an alternate Communist Party with slightly differing views over certain issues.

"She became a senior office-bearer of the youth wing, serving on the central committee’s youth subcommittee; attended Australia–Soviet Friendship Society meetings; and developed close relations with Soviet, Czechoslovak and East German communist youth groups. In 1977, Rhiannon led an SPA delegation to Moscow at the invitation of Leonid Brezhnev’s neo-Stalinist regime. "

Any more evidence needed??

Secondly, you ask why I think the Greens believe they are the voice of the people? Well because Rhiannon says as much in her article. "Politicians need to hear the voice of the people" - The clear suggestion is that this is a function the Greens are performing. It is simply an egregious lie.

@Atman:

No, yours is the egregious lie. Ms Rhiannon has never denied her involvement as a young member of the CPA. Lots of people flirt with all kinds of political groups while at uni, only to drop those affiliations once they grow up.

Further, this is what she actually says about the "voice of the people":

"Australia's strong and proud democracy needs further work and requires us to be ever vigilant so that all voices are heard in our important national debates. Politicians need to hear the voice of the people, something increasingly difficult with the dominance of conservativebig media commentators and the shrill calls of the self-interested hogging every bandwidth and Ministerial diaries".

Your interpretation is nothing more than malignant spin. I do wish that you guys would stop telling lies about the Greens. In case you haven't noticed, Australian voters don't like liars.

Morganzola, you really should read the posts before you shoot from the hip. My post about Lee Rhiannon being in the Communist Party was in response to Lexi's request to provide "proof" of Rhiannon's Communist affiliations. I have never said she denied it. Your post actually supports my assertion that her affiliations are well known.

Her extreme Left affiliation was hardly a temporary flirtation of her youth. It continues today under the only viable extreme Left wing party available, the Greens. Of course that is where the former Communist/Socialist etc party members gravitated to here and overseas after the dismal failure and unpopularity of Communism.

My concern about Democracy in this country is related to the fact that a party with 12% of the vote can dictate Government policy. Despite the excessive influence of their small minority party, people like the author are claiming that big business is preventing the 'voice of the people' being heard. What a joke. The Greens are NOT the voice of the people and Ms. Rhiannon should stop suggesting they are.

What lie is being told about the Greens? Please tell me.

@ Atman:

Your first egregious lie was that Rhiannon claimed that the Greens are "the voice of the people" in her article. I've demonstrated that she clearly doesn't. Your second lie is that the Greens are an "extreme Left wing" party.

They are not. Certainly they're to the left of the ALP, which puts them about centre in my analysis, and that of those interested in reality rather than spin:

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/its-not-extreme-to-be-green-20110716-1hito.html

Your third lie today is to claim that the Greens are "dictating" government policy. As a member of a governing coalition, they have every right to influence government policy - especially when it involves the belated implementation of policy that has been that of all major parties within the past five years. Further, it can't get through the parliament without the support of the ALP and Independents.

If the Greens were indeed dictating government policy, gay marriage would be legal and we wouldn't be about to send asylum seekers to Malaysia, surely?

Re your 12% furphy - if you were really interested in the Greens having parliamentary representation proportional to their electoral support, you'd be advocating for proportional representation in the Lower House.

Dear Atman,

I have a link for you that just may clarify a few things:

http://archive.leerhiannon.org.au/blog/responding-to-attacks-on-my-family-and-political-background

It includes a thorough explanation of the inaccuracies in Mark Aarons's book, "Family File." BTW: Mr Aarons has a reputation for twisting facts to suit his agenda and not worrying too much about the
truth of the matter if it means getting his material published.

When doing research - you need to look at a few sources to get a better perspective of where the truth of the matter may lie.