Aaron Stonehouse (born 29 June 1990) is an Australian politician. He was elected to the

Western Australian Legislative Council The Western Australian Legislative Council is the upper house of the Parliament of Western Australia, a state of Australia. It is regarded as a house of review for legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly, the lower house. The two Houses ...

at the 2017 state election, as a Liberal Democratic Party member in

South Metropolitan Region The South Metropolitan Region is a multi-member electoral region of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the southern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. It was created by the ''Acts Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 1987'', an ...

. His term began on 22 May 2017. He lost his seat at the WA State election on 13 March 2021.

Political career

Stonehouse was elected to the

at the 2017 state elections, as a Liberal Democratic Party member for the South Metropolitan Region. Since his election, he has been a strong and vocal advocate for a range of issues centred upon personal choice, and personal responsibility. He has been an active proponent of drug reform, and has also advocated for a range of amendments to the WA legal system, to allow for trial by judge alone, and to return judicial discretion to property confiscation cases arising from drug declarations. In September 2019, Stonehouse fulfilled a long-held commitment by tabling a private members bill, the Firearms Amendment (Airsoft) Bill 2019, which would have legalised the popular sport of airsoft in Western Australia. Although still live at the conclusion of the 40th Parliament, the Bill was stalled by the Labor Government who, in spite of a substantial petition in favour of legalisation, refused to support the legislation. Stonehouse has also been a vocal advocate for the legalisation of vaping in Western Australia. He was appointed as the WA spokesperson for Legalise Vaping Australia in July 2018, and the Parliamentary Select Committee he chaired later that year looking into nanny state laws received considerable evidence on vaping as a potential quitting aid for those who currently smoke. In November 2020, Stonehouse tabled one of the largest petitions received in the 40th Parliament, totalling 7176 signatures, calling for amendments to the Tobacco Control Act 2006 (WA), to legalise the sale of vaping devices in Western Australia, alongside amendments to the Medicines and Poisons Act 2014 (WA), to allow for the sale and use of nicotine in such devices. An advocate of free market economics, Stonehouse is on the record as stating that he would "not vote for increases in taxes, or new laws that add to the burden of regulation". In late 2020, the Liberal Democrats WA endorsed Stonehouse to defend his seat as their lead candidate in the South Metropolitan Region at the March 2021 election. He lost, receiving 0.85% of the initial vote and 7.08% after preferences.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stonehouse, Aaron 1990 births Living people Liberal Democratic Party members of the Parliament of Western Australia Members of the Western Australian Legislative Council 21st-century Australian politicians