Lynn Ellen MacLaren (born 24 March 1962) is an American-born former Australian politician.

Early life

MacLaren was born in

Colorado Springs Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...

and studied journalism at university in California, where she began a career in journalism as the chief photographer and staff reporter for two small California daily newspapers, the ''Desert Dispatch'' and the ''Victor Valley Daily Press''. After studying as a Rotary Youth Exchange student in 1979 in Albany, MacLaren relocated to Perth in 1982 and spent seven years in small business as a desktop publisher and technical writer.http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Parliament/Memblist.nsf/%28MemberPics%29/4DBE912DA59F6FAEC82575D20014B0DD/$file/Inaug+MacLaren+slp.pdf In the mid 1990s, MacLaren was prominent in the campaign to put live animal exports on the public agenda and was the foundation president of the People Against Cruelty in Animal Transport, also serving on the executive board of Animals Australia. From 1997, MacLaren worked for

Jim Scott Jim or Jimmy Scott may refer to: Music * Jimmy Scott (1925–2014), American jazz vocalist * Jim Scott (producer), music engineer and producer * Jim Scott (musician), acoustic guitar player and songwriter * Jimmy Scott (songwriter), British-born mu ...

MLC and did project work with the Environmental Defender's Office, and the Community Housing Coalition (WA). She later worked as a researcher for

Giz Watson Elizabeth Mary "Giz" Watson (born 18 January 1957) is an English-born former Australian politician, and a former leader of The Greens, Western Australia. Biography Watson was born in 1957 in Eastleigh, a town in Hampshire, England, and emig ...

MLC.

Political career

On 15 February 2005, she 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 ...

as a

Greens Western Australia Greens Western Australia, commonly known as the Greens WA, is a List of member parties of the Australian Greens, member party of the Australian Greens in Western Australia. The Greens (WA) was formed following the merger of the Western Australia ...

member for

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 ...

, following

's resignation to contest the lower house seat of

Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for ...

. MacLaren was defeated at the 2005 state election.

After politics

From 2005 to 2008, MacLaren Senior Policy Officer with the Western Australian Council of Social Service, where she specialised in policy areas of poverty, housing and sector viability. She also worked as a consultant in strategic planning and capacity building for community organisations.

Return to politics

MacLaren contested again in the 2008 state election for South Metropolitan Region and was successful. MacLaren's first full term began in May 2009. She contested the 2013 state election and was re-elected. MacLaren's portfolios included: planning, housing, community services, social inclusion, heritage, animals, volunteering, seniors, disability issues, food and GMOs, sexuality, tourism, arts and culture, small business and science and innovation. MacLaren has introduced several private members bills in her portfolio areas: Climate Change Readiness Coastal Planning and Protection Bill, Same-Sex Marriage Bill, Free Range Eggs Truth in Labelling Bill, Road Traffic Amendment Keeping a Safe Distance from Bicycles Bill, Biodiversity Conservation Priority Reforms Bill. She has served as a Member of the Environment and Public Affairs Committee and the Legislation Committee. While on the EPAC, MacLaren participated in an inquiry into the Transportation of Detained Persons which followed on from the death in a custodial van of Aboriginal man, Mr Ward, who was being transported in the hot conditions of northern Western Australia. She made a Minority Report in one the committee's Petition Report opposing the expansion of urban development in Moore River. MacLaren was defeated at the 2017 state election.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maclaren, Lynn 1962 births Living people Australian Greens members of the Parliament of Western Australia Members of the Western Australian Legislative Council American emigrants to Australia 21st-century Australian politicians 21st-century Australian women politicians LGBT legislators in Australia Women members of the Western Australian Legislative Council