Lynn Maclaren valedictory

The Green Issue Editors

The Hon Lynn MacLaren MLC gave her second valedictory speech in State Parliament on May 16th this year. As the ALP swept into power in WA, they pushed the two-term Greens MLC out of the South Metropolitan Region seat in a repeat of the 2005 state election, when Lynn gave her first valedictory speech, only to return 4 years later. This time, even with the highest primary vote Lynn has ever received (32,100), a higher than expected micro party vote due to their position on the ballot, cost the Greens their South Metro seat in an election which saw four other Greens elected. Lynn had served two terms (i.e. eight years) in the Legislative Council, the last term with only Robin Chapple as a fellow Green, and thus having an enormous workload (covering 20 portfolios). Although her 1¼ hour speech was replete with highlights, and generous recognition of the many with whom she has interacted during her time in parliament, we just quote here some of those highlights – some that exemplify her achievements in office and illustrate her passion in serving the WA community. However, the complete video of her speech can be found here.

Lynn began with this introduction:

“Tonight, I rise to respond to the Governor and, more importantly, to say farewell. I acknowledge that we meet on Aboriginal land of the Whadjuk Noongar people and first off I pay my respects to their elders, past, present and emerging. There are many people in the public gallery whom I wish to welcome—kaya—and acknowledge. I will do so throughout my valedictory comments tonight.”

She indeed expressed her appreciation to the traditional custodians of her adopted land and to the many activist organizations with which she has been associated:

“It has been an honour and a privilege to represent the South Metropolitan Region of Western Australia for the past eight years. The region has a great many Aboriginal elders who carry its stories and share a wisdom of the oldest living culture on the planet with all who are ready to hear it. I want to thank those leaders in our communities who shared their knowledge and sought to educate me. In my 20 years in Greens politics in this region, I feel like I have only begun to connect to the land and its people. I have been humbled to bring a voice to many issues of the traditional owners. I want to express my appreciation to the elders of this region whom I have come to know just a little bit during my time in Parliament: Reverend Sealin Garlett and Marilyn Garlett, Marie Taylor, Noel Nannup and Shaun Nannup, Trevor Walley and Dr Richard Walley—who was just here for the opening—Charlie Kickett, who I met only recently down in Rockingham, Len Collard, and Matthew and Barry McGuire. I also acknowledge some of the emerging elders and the wise women in our region, many of whom I hope will remain my friends and some of whom are with us today: Della Rae Morrison, Karla Hart, Ingrid Cumming, Corina Abraham Howard, Dorinda Cox, Marianne MacKay and Tammy Solenec. There are so many more I cannot list them all here, but I want all to know how I respect them greatly. I am in awe of their resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.

“For the past four years, serving as one of only two Greens in Parliament, I have extended my reach to help people throughout the state wherever possible. I have a long list of portfolios for which I was responsible to keep abreast of parliamentary actions and to maintain relationships with people and organisations. I note that many people joining us in the public gallery tonight are from some of these organisations. Thank you for your support. I just want to mention a couple of groups because I saw them earlier: FOODwatch is an organisation that I have worked with for a long time; people from Point Peron for the People and Hands Off Point Peron are here; there are people here from the Safe Schools Coalition Australia and the No Shark Cull Coalition, as well as social justice movements, animal rights organisations, wildlife carers and local councils. This term has been incredibly rewarding and rich with experiences. I want to share some of the highlights of the 2013 to 2017 parliamentary term.”

 Lynn then gave her inside view of an issue she has for long been involved with – saving the Beeliar Wetlands and preventing construction of the Roe Highway stage 8 extension:

“It should come as no surprise to anyone that the first thing I am going to mention is saving Beeliar wetlands. At great environmental cost and what I imagine has wielded a terrible impact on the spiritual, cultural and historical sites in the area near Bibra Lake, North Lake and Coolbellup bushland in the weeks leading up to the election, we saved Beeliar wetlands from the construction of the Roe Highway stage 8 extension. Thousands of people took part in almost daily demonstrations, rallies and protest actions. The local wetland protectors, the wildlife carers and spiritual custodians were generous in sharing their knowledge. We learnt about nonviolent direct action. We formed affinity groups. Mums became liaison officers, musicians became organisers and individuals became a community. Several people were arrested and charged. Many people were fined. Some charges were subsequently dropped or lessened. The actions of the police have been subject to complaint and an inquiry has been requested. The wheels of bureaucracy are much slower than the courts. Although the new government has announced running a fine toothcomb through the previous Treasurers accounts, it has been silent about the use of force by the police—the charging horses and the unmuzzled dogs that patrolled the fences, the loss of trust in Her Majestys finest. Tears fell today, months after the machines were silenced, when I passed by the scars, the land ripped by dozers, the mounds of soil in place of a biodiversity bonanza and the trees shredded, reduced to steaming mulch piles. The animals—the fortunate few animals—were relocated, but many, many more were massacred. The crawling, creeping, hopping, slinking ones who could not fly away would not be caught in traps. On Sunday, I planted a Tuart tree in what would have been in the shadow of the tall Rottnest Island pines in the corner of Hope and Progress Roads. It would have been in the shadow of those ancient pines had the contractor not chopped off the tops, leaving stumps that still tower over the now barren landscape, a stones throw from the riverbank where the Beeliar people once camped. Hundreds—perhaps thousands—of people will plant and weed and nurture the soil until the scars burst back into life now that the election has been won.

“Bitterly, I reminisce of the rally in 2005 when Labor candidates said that they would stop the highway. Like marriage equality, it is well past time for them to deliver. From little things, big things grow. How long ago was it? It was 2004 and I worked for Hon Jim Scott when Mark Hingston, Joe Branco, Professor Phil Jennings and Felicity McGeorge— now Bairstow—and a handful of others alongside the Noongar people, who so long ago defended this patch from the Stephenson–Hepburn planned highway. …

 “In August 2015 I presented a petition calling for a Legislative Council inquiry to investigate the alternative proposal for an outer harbour. That was unsuccessful in this chamber. I have since written to the Auditor General requesting that his office undertakes an investigation into the governments decision-making processes for Perth Freight Link. I actively supported the Aboriginal heritage legal case, as members know, by asking questions month after month and waiting for papers to be tabled on the very last day; eventually we got those papers.

“I put forward alternatives; I was not just complaining. I wanted to put forward alternatives because that is what the Greens are here to do. I put forward an alternative for the outer harbour and the transport solutions. I worked in partnership with those communities—the Save Beeliar Wetlands people and the Rethink the Link people. I attended numerous community events and I spoke at many rallies. If anyone was following me on Facebook, every morning I was broadcasting live directly from the area so that Australians knew what was at risk and how people were prepared to stand up for it.”

Another issue that illustrates her passion for animal welfare is the shark culling program of the outgoing government:

“The other big thing that I have to talk about is stopping the drum lines. This term kicked off with a summer of shark killing on the government agenda. We defeated its drum line program by working with the community and exposing the irrationality of shark culling. It was a hot summer morning at Scarborough Beach in the auditorium where Missy Higgins would later perform when I laid out our terms for what we called Barnetts surrender—respect existence or expect resistance. It was a cry I repeated at the Cockburn Wetlands Education Centre three summers later as the campaign to stop Roe 8 heated up. In true Australian style, we met them on the beaches in 2014, first at Cottesloe, where thousands gathered in the largest protest rally we have seen since the 1998 rallies to save old-growth forests, and then, when at first the government refused to back down, dozens took direct action by monitoring those drum lines, by documenting the deaths and by publicising the irrationality of the program. In December 2013, the government announced its intention to use lethal drum lines, surprising most community and marine stakeholders. The first rally at Cottesloe Beach on 4 January 2014 was organised in days by concerned scuba enthusiasts and other ocean users. Six thousand protesters were at the rally on Cottesloe Beach on 1 February 2014. That was an amazing time; I was so blessed to be there. Early in 2014, Sea Shepherd attempted to secure a court injunction to force the government to suspend its policy, and the Greens called for a motion to revoke the exemption to kill protected sharks given to WA. The Environmental Protection Authority received hundreds of submissions asking it to assess or reject the EPA drum line trial. To his credit, the chair, Paul Vogel, who is no longer with the EPA, first said that the drum line trial would not be investigated as the environmental impact would be negligible, but then he had to do it. He eventually did it and he said that shark culling was environmentally unacceptable. The drum lines were removed at the end of April 2014 after 172 sharks, including some mako sharks and other species, but mainly tiger sharks, had been captured. About half were released because they were too small and the rest were shot or expired on the drum lines. In July 2014, 30 000 people—with 6 751 submissions and two petitions signed by 25 000 people—responded to the EPA about the governments plan to continue using drum lines for another three years. Intense lobbying and awareness raising by community groups, the Greens, and state and federal politicians included an excellent forum on more effective alternatives to mitigate shark hazards. In September 2014 the EPA recommended that shark drum lines not be implemented in WA. The Premier conceded defeat. The Greens challenged the effectiveness of the so-called imminent threat guidelines that were rebranded as serious threat guidelines. These are the guidelines under which, after a shark bite incident, the shark is found and killed. Thankfully, that, too, with this new government, is a policy of the past, but at what cost? Governments need to listen, and not just at elections. Since 2000, 15 people have died as a result of a shark bite off the WA Coast. There is general recognition by both the ALP and the Liberals now that killing sharks does nothing to make people safer. Instead, a range of other measures, including real-time alerts, improved emergency responses, shark education and awareness, and personal and area based protective technology to suit different coastal locations and ocean users, are the way to go. I just shook the hand of the new Minister for Fisheries and I really do think he gets it, but we need to make sure, because the law is not good enough.”

The various bills that Lynn introduced in parliament did not achieve enough support to be passed at but the concepts therein will inevitably be accepted. Such bills as marriage equality, coastal protection and cyclist safety. In the case of the latter, there is now widespread acceptance of the “one metre matters” concept:

“Another thing I want to mention today—I notice that the former Minister for Road Safety is also here—is “one metre matters” bill. There were several deaths on the road of people riding bicycles. What did we do? I put a bill up and said that we need to be clear about the law. I did that because a national campaign was calling for it. I said that we could do that in WA. We want to protect people on the roads; let us do that. Now, after the election, the government is interested in doing it. Why did it take all that time? I introduced that bill in 2012 and several people have died on our roads in that time. Let us just think about that. I want to thank Toby Hodgson, Matt Fulton, Sarah, Craig and all those who backed this campaign, including the Over 55 Cycling Club. Maybe now I can join them on a bike ride!

Lynns recognition of the role of women in bringing about progressive change was duly expressed:

“It should come as no surprise to any members that in many of these earth-protecting campaigns, women are front and centre, driving and steering at the very heart of those campaigns. From the days of the late Mary Jenkins, an indefatigable feminist in the South Metropolitan Region, to the ever-present former Senator Jo Vallentine, women have seen what needs to be done.

They have rolled up their sleeves, they have crafted a new phone tree and they have got the party started.

Natalie Banks, of the No Shark Cull alliance, is one such woman. She left her government media position to join Sea Shepherd. Today, from Dubai, she wrote, according to my notes —

“When I first thought of rallying to stop the WA shark cull, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the outpouring of support for one of the most misunderstood creatures. I have never experienced anything like it and I feel that I may not ever again. But shark lovers every day you give me hope for the future, your words and actions compel me to move forward for a better world.”

“The recent Rethink the Link and Save Beeliar Wetlands campaigns brought Kim Dravnieks and Kate Kelly into the limelight, and they were surrounded by powerful women, including Felicity Bairstow and a very long list of others, going back decades and stretching long into the future, as the wounded land is healed. At one point in the campaign, we pitched a photo idea to The West Australian to photograph all the women at the campaigns heart. The list grew so long, it may have been the reason that The West declined; it would need to be a broadsheet for that!

“I do not mean to diminish the activism of men in Western Australia, who are also tireless in their efforts. In particular, I want to single out Robert McLean, John Lawson and Sean van Alphen—a group of mates who formed the Numbat Task Force. Over many years of tracking and photographing their favourite woodland animal, they have grown to be the states most successful wild numbat protectors. They were instrumental in the intervention that halted a landfill that threatened some of the last remaining numbats in the wild across Australia, so good on you, guys.”

The responsibilities of a parliamentarian are not only restricted to the big issues but involve dealing with particular problems faced by various individuals in the community:

“Working in my electorate has also given me an opportunity to help many of my constituents. Among the individuals we helped was a public housing tenant who was bullied, possibly by her neighbours. I saw the scorched entry to her small apartment and listened as she recounted the trouble she experienced getting someone to listen and someone to help. We did help; we got her new accommodation. Everyone who is a member of Parliament has had these issues, and it makes us feel like we are worth it. It makes us realise, “This is what its about; its not just arguing about words on a page. Ive got somebody into secure, safe accommodation.” I am so grateful for those opportunities. We do not get many opportunities in life to help people directly like that, and being members of Parliament gives us that opportunity.

“There is much work to be done for the homeless. Every single member of Parliament has a responsibility to provide help and, I would argue, to actually end homelessness. This is not pie in the sky; this is something we can do. There is an action plan. Why not just do it? During the last election campaign, the Greens launched a policy to end homelessness. I met with a roundtable of groups that are serious about this issue. This is serious; this is not some sketchy plan. This can actually be done, and all we have to do is set our minds to it. We have to have the will to do it, and we have to pursue that goal, and put people in charge to do it. It is possible, we can do it; why not? The benefits of housing the homeless, of ending homelessness, and of reaching in and solving the problems that keep people homeless, are exponential. We can do it, but we have to have that will.”

But to be a successful parliamentarian, you have to be quick on your feet:

“Being flexible and able to be impromptu and address issues as they arise is very important because that is the opportunity for change. They have asked us in our valedictories to try to give members ideas for how to approach the new term. I would say that was my most successful strategy in that I was able to retool and address the issue that is the hottest issue of the day at the time. The issue of sharks is a perfect example. Who knew that I would be a champion for sharks? It is important that we respond to the issues of the day.”

Lynn gave generous acknowledgement to the other parliamentarians, of all persuasions, with whom she has interacted over the years:

“I want to thank the Greens in other states because throughout the last eight years I have worked collaboratively with them. I have truly enjoyed working alongside them on campaigns to improve our society, to protect the planet and to be a voice for the voiceless. …

 “I want to express my appreciation to the members of the opposition, who worked with us over eight years, gave me fulsome briefings when required and, sometimes when our values crossed, which they did on the Biodiversity Conservation Bill, they worked with me. I appreciated that. …

 “I want to thank also members of the Nationals, particularly Colin Holt. It has been a pleasure to work with you over these eight years. I am tearing up. Why is that? I knew Colin before. I met him when I was working at the Western Australian Council of Social Service, so I knew we had this common understanding about community services and how difficult they were in the regions. We were on a committee together and I always enjoyed working with you. If I miss you, I will call you. …

 “Over this time, I have hosted three Pride at Parliament events, which have been supported by every other party here. Hon Martin Aldridge is nodding; thank you very much for co-hosting. Hon Jacqui Boydell and Hon Michael Mischin also co-hosted. Hon Helen Morton co-hosted; that was a wonderful year that she co-hosted. It made a big difference to the community. I am here to tell members that they really like it. They really want members to keep doing it. Hon Stephen Dawson was also a consistent co-host. It is a way to bring the significance and importance of legislators into a cultural month of pride and to build relationships. I hope that all members have managed to continue to keep those communication lines open. We invite the media and it is a great opportunity. It has been my absolute pleasure, one of the highlights of my eight years, to host a cross-party party for the community to which I feel very connected. I want to thank all those members who found it in their heart to be generous and co-host those events.”

It's not easy losing an election but The Greens have much to look forward with the new Greens parliamentarians coming in:

“I want to say that there is nothing like winning an election, but I am here to tell members that the converse is also true. Losing an election is a uniquely unwelcome experience. To those 32 100 South Metropolitan Region voters who put the Greens first above and below the line, I thank you. I know you did it. You do not have to apologise.

 “I congratulate all incoming members, especially the four Greens and the never-say-die returning Hon Robin Chapple. In the weeks since the election I have been handing over a wealth of material to this awe-inspiring team. I look forward to listening to their inaugural speeches. It is with great sadness that I make my valedictory speech at this close of term. However, as I have packed up my office I have been reminded of the colossal privilege to serve as a Greens member of Parliament. The Greens campaigned well in all the regions in the election and we continued to increase our vote, even in the Agricultural Region under the leadership of wheat and sheep farmer Ian James. I look forward to seeing him in the Parliament one day soon. In the South Metropolitan Region there are three new members in the lower house who relied on second preferences from Greens voters to claim their seats. The government should well remember this. No doubt the members for Bicton, Jandakot and Southern River will remember. I guess they have got to respect the Greens interests, because I aint going to be here!”

Now its time to concentrate on personal matters, but with a plea for the new parliament to proceed with marriage equality legislation to overcome the existing imposition on individual lives:

“My most important role will now be to care for my partner who is being treated for metastatic breast cancer. She says an unwelcome visitor has taken a permanent place in our lives. I look forward to sharing sunsets and pottering around at home on the weekends. Sarah and I were married late last year—it is a bit too quiet—because we do not have the right to marry here. In 2012 I introduced a bill that would have established same-sex marriage in WA by amending state laws including the Family Court Act and the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act. Since 2004 we have waited politely for the Australian Parliament to pass marriage equality laws. It is incredible that the Australian government is still baulking at making this long overdue reform. We could have it tomorrow in WA if the McGowan government would simply support my bill. That is it—no more conversation: equality. Be brave for marriage equality. Your constituents are asking you for equal rights. It is not hard. I have drafted the bill. I did not personally do it; I had Parliamentary Counsel do it so it should be good. Please do that for me and for my partner and for everyone else who just wants equality. It is not a lot to ask. It is 2017. Again, it is long past time.”

Lynn concluded with special thanks to her only Greens parliamentary colleague over the last four years and recognition that she is about to embark on a new journey:

“I could not have done this job without Hon Robin Chapple by my side. He has been such a lovely man to work with. He has been a friend to me. He has been my dinner companion when I have been grumpy. He has been very, very kind to me as I have navigated these waters. I know that being successful in Parliament relies upon having a good buddy, and Robin has been that to me. I now bestow that gift upon my Greens colleagues and he can now look after them and make sure that they navigate these waters well.

“In concluding my remarks, Mr President, it is been a journey that has been rewarding for me. I feel sad going, but I have every faith that there is something on the horizon and there is a reason for this change in my career path. I will find a way to use the skills and knowledge that I have built up for the good of Western Australians. Hopefully, I will continue to enjoy doing it, and, maybe, I will have a little bit more sleep. That would be really good. I will hopefully find some way to repay the citizens of Western Australia for the faith that they have put in me and the tremendous opportunity that they have given me to represent them in this place.”

At this point, universal standing ovation broke out, not only from the gallery packed with Greens supporters, but from all sides of the floor of the house. It continued for five minutes or so, a manifestation of the impact not only of her speech that evening but of her efforts on behalf of the people of WA over the years.