About Fiona Patten
Leader of the Reason Party, Fiona was first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018.
Since entering Parliament, Fiona has garnered respect from all sides of politics, working tirelessly to deliver legislative reforms that many thought impossible.
Fiona’s achievements in Parliament include:
• Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in North Richmond
• Safe Access Zones from protesters around fertility clinics
• Voluntary Assisted Dying laws – initiated inquiry that led to this reform
• Sex work decriminalised
• A Spent Convictions Scheme for criminal records in Victoria
• Uber and ridesharing legalised
• Pandemic Legislation for Victoria
• Leaving foster and out of home care age extended from 18 to 21 years
• Loneliness ministerial portfolio commitment secured
• Anti-vilification legislation, including online vilification of women, coming in 2023
• Lord’s Prayer removed from Parliament for next Parliamentary term
• Land tax changes applying to religious businesses
• A future cap on election campaign spending via review of 2022 election
• E-petitions to Parliament online
• Medicinal Cannabis Driving taskforce established
• Drug Use and Possession taskforce to trial a health response not a criminal one
• Established Parliamentary Inquiry into the legalisation of cannabis
• Electric Vehicle levy waiver and incentive payment
• Chair of Legal and Social Issues Committee, including reports into Homelessness and the Justice System
Fiona’s decision to run for political office came after 20 years of advocating for the rights of small business owners, sexual health organisations, sexual freedoms and censorship reforms.
In 2009, frustrated with the lack of social change on censorship, drug law reform, assisted dying and marriage equality, she founded the Australian Sex Party with her partner Robbie Swan. In 2017, the Australian Sex Party was dissolved to make way for the Reason Party, a movement of common sense and secular evidence-based policy.
When Fiona isn’t in Parliament – you will find her in a swimming pool or at a restaurant.