Marisa Paterson

Marisa Paterson (born 1982)[1] is an Australian anthropologist, academic and politician. She was elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly in 2020, representing the Australian Labor Party[2] for the electorate of Murrumbidgee.

Marisa Paterson
Member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
for Murrumbidgee
Assumed office
17 October 2020
Preceded byBec Cody
Personal details
Born
Marisa Paterson

November 1982 (age 40)
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLabor Party
Alma materCharles Darwin University (PhD)
Australian National University (MAAPD)
Monash University (BA)
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionAcademic
Websitewww.marisapaterson.com.au

Early life and education

Paterson was born in Melbourne but spent much of her childhood in the high country of Victoria. She graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Psychology, before moving to Canberra in 2005 to pursue a Masters of Anthropology and participatory Development at the Australian National University.[3]

Following that, Paterson moved to Darwin, Northern Territory to pursue a PhD with Charles Darwin University, studying the impacts of gambling in remote Indigenous communities[4] before returning to Canberra in 2013 to taking up work in a range of research schools and centres at the ANU. In 2017 she became the Director of the Centre for Gambling Research at the ANU and continued to work for the Centre until her election to the ACT Legislative Assembly in 2020.

Political career

Paterson contested the seat of Murrumbidgee at the 2020 ACT elections and was elected in 4th position in the five member electorate. She was the only new Labor Member to be elected at the 2020 elections.[5]

She is currently the Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety and the Chair of the Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity Committee.[6]

Paterson has campaigned in parliament for reform of the justice system, including expanding restorative justice in the ACT[7] and the shifting of the presumption of bail for serious driving offences. She has also introduced motions on the protection and education of the ACT's snakes[8] and the introduction of safety initiatives in Canberra's night life districts.[9]

She is the only non-aligned Labor Member of the ACT Legislative Assembly.

Gambling reform

Paterson has been a fierce advocate for gambling reform in the ACT and Australia. In 2022, she initiated her "Bets Off. Game On." which attracted the support of local Canberra community groups and 1015 signatories.[10] In 2023, Paterson campaigned to keep the Molonglo Valley, one of Canberra's newest districts, free from any future poker machines being established and has sought ot reform the community club sector to end it reliance on poker machine revenue.[11]

Selected publications

References

  1. "Marisa Paterson". smartvote Australia. Australian National University.
  2. "ACT Election 2020 Results". ABC News.
  3. "About". marisapaterson.com.au. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  4. "About". marisapaterson.com.au. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  5. "Murrumbidgee - ACT Electorate, Candidates, Results". abc.net.au. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  6. Manager, Web (23 December 2022). "Committees". www.parliament.act.gov.au. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  7. "Restorative Justice - An Alternative to the Criminal Justice System". marisapaterson.com.au. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  8. "Calls to better protect Canberra's venomous snakes from the risks they face above ground — including from us". ABC News. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  9. Waymouth, Lizzie. "Push for Canberra to explore international nightlife accreditation". Riotact. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  10. "Bets Off. Game On". marisapaterson.com.au. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  11. Media, Newstime (21 June 2023). "Molonglo residents rally behind pokie-free campaign". Canberra Weekly. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.