Fiona’s Progress as a Victorian Crossbench MP

For The Sex Party’s Fiona Patten, it’s been a particularly productive 12 months. The former adult industry lobbyist was a driving force behind the government’s bill for safe access zones around abortion clinics to stop women being harassed by protesters. She also helped initiate a parliamentary inquiry into end-of-life choices which has had more than 1000 submissions and could pave the way for a dramatic rethink on the contentious issue of voluntary euthanasia.

And she recently succeeded in setting up another major inquiry: this time on drugs, which will look at everything from the use of illicit substances and prescription medication to the role of sniffer dogs at festivals.

“It’s been whirlwind and a cliff of learning, but far more than I’d ever expected for my first year of parliament,” Patten told The Sunday Age last week.