2016-03-01
Emma Davidson
Name: Lynn MacLaren
Age: 53
Role with the Greens: Member of Legislative Council, WA.
1. What do you remember about your first election?
After years of supporting MPs and other activists I had an opportunity to speak at a Bibra Lake rally alongside former Premier Carmen Lawrence then Federal Member for Fremantle. I knew many of the people in the crowd and felt so chuffed to be speaking out for the Greens in the campaign to stop Roe Highway stage 8 through the Beeliar wetlands, a campaign that continues today!
2. Leadbeater's possum or eastern longneck turtles?
Both
3. What's your precious place and why?
Too many to list. Bibra Lake and North Lake in the Beeliar wetlands. The hills of Albany overlooking the Southern Ocean and wildflower-rich bushland. Granite outcrops in the wheatbelt also teeming with wildlife on a smaller scale and overlooking a vast brown landscape. The Dryandra woodlands. The high and low deserts of southern California, New Mexico and Arizona.The Northern Pacific coastline and the Southern Australian Bight coastline near Apollo Bay, Victoria. So many more places. Because being in a beautiful landscape evokes my spiritual appreciation of nature.
4. Favourite Greens policy?
Our Animals policy.
5. Best part of your work with the Greens?
Working for a cause I believe in, activating people in politics, standing up for the voiceless.
6. What keeps you going?
I have no idea. Some inner drive — a perpetual source of energy for doing something positive.
7. Favourite political song?
"If I could change the world", Eric Clapton
8. Who inspires you? Why?
Gillian Trigg because she stood up to the very formidable bullies who sought to silence her. And Young Australian of the Year 2015 Drisana Levitzke-Gray who as a successful deaf advocate maintains her sense of humour alongside her sense of purpose.
9. Comfort food?
Chocolate and a cup of tea.
10. What would you spend $20 billion on?
Transforming WA to renewable energy, homelessness programmes, light rail from Fremantle, releasing women from prison.
11. Secret vice?
Popcorn and sci fi movies.
12. Best coffee/drink in town?
Long mac topped up at Nine Seeds, a little neighbourhood cafe in East Fremantle.
13. Three apps you can't live without?
I'm an Apps underachiever. Teach me!
14. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I often tell primary school graduation assemblies that when I was their age, I had no idea there was such a thing as a Greens Member of Parliament, and yet, now here I am! There will be many jobs in the future that don't currently exist.
I don't know what I wanted to be. I was an academic achiever and loved entertaining, but my comedian-self was often political. I recall saying I wanted to be a writer but I needed to experience more to have something to write about! I studied journalism and politics in university and worked as an intern photojournalist as soon as I graduated from high school.
15. Morning run or night time swim?
Night time swim in peace and quiet.
16. What's your greatest hope for the future?
That we live in balance on planet Earth, respecting its rich diversity. We come to not only understand the impact we have, but human endeavour is refocused to have positive impacts, rather than negative impacts.
17. Magic wand to solve one world problem — what would it be?
Finding the cause and ending cancer. It's probably linked with chemicals in the environment so it would result in cleaning up the planet as well as stopping suffering and redirecting all the medical resources elsewhere.
18. What advice would you give a new volunteer?
Volunteers have really made the Greens what we are today. While you will gain much from your experience, in fact, you are tremendously valuable to our organisation and an integral part of bringing about a significant change in Australian politics.Thank you.
19. You can travel through time – where do you go?
The 1920s. I'd like to be the Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher's sister.
20. If you weren't doing this for a living, what would you be doing?
Stand-up comedy would be good. I have lots of material! But, as it would be hard to make a living, I would probably get back into community capacity building via workshops on lobbying and advocacy. I'd be doing something that contributes to a kinder world where people care for the environment.
Image by Jarrad Seng