Lisa Baker (Australian politician) (original) (raw)

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Australian politician

Lisa Loraine Baker (born 26 August 1958) is an Australian politician who has been a Labor Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia (WA) since 2008, representing the seat of Maylands. Lisa's life has been in service to communities, and regardless of her position she has always worked to challenge and change inequity, and work to rectify the situations that challenge our most vulnerable and disenfranchised members be they human or animal.

Lisa Baker was born in Perth. She attended Perth College, Mercedes College, and Governor Stirling Senior High School at various points, and then went on to the Western Australian Institute of Technology (now Curtin University), graduating with an initial degree in psychology and then a graduate diploma in development studies.

In the 1980s, Lisa founded WEDO [Women's Economic Development Organisation] and provided enterprise training and support to thousands of women in WA during its 10-year life span. WEDO was a catalyst that used the WA developed New Enterprise Incentive Scheme to leverage skills and finance for female entrepreneurs. 30 years later, the federal government continues to offer a version of the originally WA based programme, rebadged as the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme.

In 1987 The International Labour Organisation commissioned Lisa to work in Indonesia and develop a project to assist women to open and run businesses in tourism and hospitality. The project attracted bilateral funding and ran for three years assisting many women and their families to gain a sustainable income. In 1988, stationed in Nepal with the ILO, Lisa worked with women throughout the region, NGO's and the Nepalese Government, on micro economic development through supporting women's entrepreneurial skills. She developed the program to include micro financing and business skills development. This project worked across three geographic sites in Nepal and helped over 200 women and their families

During the 1990s, Baker was employed by the National Native Title Tribunal as director of its business services division. In 2002, she became the CEO of the Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS), a peak organisation for the social services sector in Western Australia.[1] As the CEO of WACOSS, Lisa led the development of the community sector's contribution to Children's Services legislation. To achieve this, she established the human services’ sector Children's Committee that investigated issues affecting children, child protection and jurisdiction collaboration as well as contributing to the new Act.

From 1998 to 2001, Baker also served on the Mundaring Shire Council.[1] In 2007 she was appointed as one of five, to the WA Human Rights Consultation Committee established by then Attorney General Jim McGinty and chaired by Hon Fred Chaney to consult with the WA community on the need for human rights protections in WA.

Political Career - Overview

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In 2008, she was preselected as the Labor candidate for Maylands, a safe seat. She subsequently entered parliament at the 2008 state election, replacing the retiring Judy Edwards.[2] Her majority was reduced at the 2013 election (as part of a statewide swing against WA Labor), turning Maylands into a marginal seat.[3] In the 2017 election,[4] Lisa Baker was returned with a strong majority, and again in 2021 with even larger margins as part of the 'McGowan' post-pandemic effect that saw WA Labor returned to government with a 53 to 6 seat (L/NP) majority.[5]

In 2010, Lisa Baker as appointed Chair of the Australia Region Commonwealth Women's Parliamentarians Committee. In her 3-year term she introduced a competition designed to introduce young women to the functions and role of the Commonwealth; arranged a study tour for women MP's from Asia and the Pacific to visit Australian legislatures; built a process for strengthening bonds between women MP's in Australia to support and mentor candidates and women MP's in the Pacific region. Lisa was the first chair to succeed in gaining federal funding of $AUS 3million to undertake regional development work with Pacific women.

In 2015, she helped make history in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly when her motion recommending a free vote for marriage equality in the Federal Parliament was successfully carried through the Legislative Assembly (while in opposition). The motion included that the Legislative Assembly calls on the Federal Government to abandon the proposed plebiscite on marriage equality.[6]

In 2016, Lisa drew the attention of the Parliament to the fact that WA is the only state in Australia to have not yet cleared the records of men who had been convicted of homosexuality under antiquated laws that existed prior to 1989. When elected to Government in 2017, the WA Labor Government expunged these records.[7]

Lisa Baker was appointed Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on 11 May 2017.[8]

In 2018, Lisa advocated and provided support for changing Human Reproductive Technology Act and the Surrogacy Act to include rights for same-sex couples to access reproductive technology and have equal reproductive rights. Additionally, she advocated for the Gender Reassignment Amendment Bill 2018 to allow for changes in government issued birth certificate to reflect a person's gender accurately.

Her work with the community to address the effects of alcohol overconsumption was recognised in 2013 by the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth when she was a finalist in their Community in Action Awards.

Community safety is a concern in Lisa's constituency, and she has led innovative research and action in the area of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design [CPTED]. Once again, she created partnerships with business, local government and one of the world's leading experts in CPTED based in WA to conduct research and create strategic actions covering information, support and creative place making initiatives. Her research has resulted in City of Bayswater employing Place Activation Officers who utilise CPTED creative approaches. She formed another cross sectoral partnership to complete another CPTED report for the suburb of Inglewood also in her electorate of Maylands.

Delivered Electorate Commitments

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Lisa has strongly advocated for local projects and funding for her electorate, demonstrated here with a snapshot of funded projects completed within commitments made in 2017 and 2021:

The new Bayswater Station for Metronet is now a key connection for public transport services with travel options to the Airport, the Swan Valley region and Perth's Central Business District. This was officially opened in 2023[9] making Bayswater Station the second largest station on the Transperth network. The new Bayswater station has created 4 new railway platforms, 10 permanent retail spaces and contains 8 major art works by Noongar and other local artists. This project is part of the ambitious vision of the WA Labor government's Metronet, creating over 70 kilometres of new rail line, connecting peri-urban communities to the city, and enhancing transport-oriented development.

• Environment groups were funded for just over $100,000 for projects such as signage, equipment and revegetation projects
• Community groups were funded just over $360,000 for projects such as play equipment for playgroups and IT equipment for language groups, refurbishment of amenities for theatre centre, playground equipment for local groups, storage sheds and tools for women's hub, fixtures, signs and support for many other groups. In
• Sport and Recreation groups were funded almost $330,000 for projects including marquees, shade structures, replacement of equipment and more.
• Local schools were funded just over $480,000 for projects such as solar panels, science rooms and new furniture.
• Secured the $50 million ‘major’ funding for the redevelopment of John Forrest Secondary College. This was completed in 2024.[10]
• Two ‘minor’ education projects were funded to $40,000.
• Funding of $45,000 for the development of Environment House projects.
• Sport and Recreation groups were funded over $560,000, including a ‘major’ project for the Bayswater Tennis club to convert two greens to hard courts and add lighting and shading to the area.
• Community groups were funded just over $365,000 for projects to deliver services to the community, equipment and refurbishment for local groups.

Other areas of focus

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One World One Health

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One World, One Health (OWOH) recognises that the health of people and societies is intimately linked and ultimately dependent on the resilience of the world's life-supporting ecosystems. This model achieves optimal health for people, animals and the environment. Lisa Baker strives to improve the lives of our most vulnerable citizens. This has inevitably led her to call for improvements to the laws and practices that apply to the protection of our communities’ most powerless and voiceless creatures – the animals that share people's homes, lives and planet.

• 2011 – Led an extensive campaign to push back against the WA Liberal Government's defunding and decommissioning of the WA Animal Welfare Unit.
• 2015 – Released Discussion Paper - ‘Strengthening Animal Welfare in WA’ publicly launched by the Leader of the WA opposition, Mark McGowan.
• Campaigned successfully to add “Animal Welfare” and “Live Export” policy commitments into the WA Labor Platform. This was the first time that animal welfare appeared in any Labor Platform in Australia.
• 2016 – Wrote WA Labor's “Stop Puppy Farming” policy for the successful 2017 election. This policy has been acknowledged as one of the most successful campaigns ever run by WA Labor.
• 2017 – The WA Labor State Conference the Party and its membership endorsed my resolution calling for the introduction of a WA Independent Office of Animal Welfare.
• Initiated and hosted “Saving Lives”, an annual event held in the WA Parliament to recognise and thank the thousands of WA volunteers who donated their time and resources to saving the lives of animals and rehoming or releasing them, the first of this type of event in the southern hemisphere. Invite 150 representatives from rescue and rehoming groups to Parliament to take part in this event.
• Co-Chair of WA Greyhound Welfare Group which aimed to introduce better welfare protections for the greyhounds that are trapped in or exiting the racing industry.
• 2018 – Spoke for the first time in the WA Parliament in support of the fledgling Alternative Protein Industry Sector. This new sector aims the reduce dependence on animal-based protein and introduce more plant based and other non-animal-based proteins sources.
• 2019 - Chair of the Implementation Working Group for the WA Stop Puppy farming policy.
• 2021 – Successfully proposed that WA Labor support a new Animal Welfare Small Grants programme. This has delivered over $AUS 4 million over the term of government to support the work of rescuing and rehoming animals in WA.
• Assisted the Minister to achieve the successful passage of the WA Stop Puppy Farming Act 2021 into law.
• Successfully removed the Law that required retired/unraced greyhounds to wear muzzles in public.
• Successfully lobbied to instigate a review of the out-of-date WA Animal Welfare Act 2002.
• 2022 – The Review of the WA Animal Welfare Act was released which includes recommendations to recognise animal sentience, increase the power of inspectors and introduces new remedies for cruelty.
• 2023 - Commenced work with colleagues and other stakeholders to call for a review of the code of practice for rodeos and investigate the provision of funding to support rodeos in WA.

Food Security/Climate Change

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Lisa is calling on all levels of governments to develop an action plan on tackling food security and the links between climate change and food. The current system for food production drives a loss of biodiversity, pollution and deforestation. It is responsible for immense animal suffering, directly impacts on species extinction, and creates human and animal sickness. In 2023, researchers at the George Institute for Global Health found that overall, plant-based and meat analogues had a healthier nutritional profile compared with the equivalent meat product and their energy content was marginally lower. Currently, Lisa is working on raising awareness of this exciting, emerging industry by:

• Promoting the role that future food systems can play in addressing State climate change outcomes.
• Linking alternative protein businesses into WA based opportunities.
• Connecting with international & national innovators and peak bodies to promote this work.
• Championing this new industry sector to the WA parliament and the WA consumer.
• Briefing Ministers on the opportunities presented by the alternative protein sector.
• Researching progress around the world to highlight emerging trends and good practice.

As MLA for Maylands, Lisa has a deep connection with her constituency and their respect for her work has been recognised by the fact she has served over 16 years as their elected representative.

Lisa Baker is not contesting for the seat of Maylands in the 2025 election. The current preselected candidate for WA Labor in the seat of Maylands is Dan Bull. Her full Valedictory Speech can be found here.

1. ^ a b Lisa Loraine Baker – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
2. ^ Maylands – 2008 Western Australian Election, Antony Green's Election Guide. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
3. ^ Maylands, WA Votes 2013, ABC News. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
4. ^ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). www.elections.wa.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
5. ^ "State Elections | Western Australian Electoral Commission". www.elections.wa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 8 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
6. ^ corporateName=National Museum of Australia; address=Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula. "National Museum of Australia - Marriage equality". www.nma.gov.au. Retrieved 18 December 2024.{{[cite web](/wiki/Template:Cite%5Fweb "Template:Cite web")}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
7. ^ "WALW - Historical Homosexual Convictions Expungement Act 2018 - Home Page". www.legislation.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
8. ^ "Hansard WA Parliament" (PDF). Parliament of Western Australia. 11 May 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2017.
9. ^ "Reopening date set for new METRONET Bayswater Station | Western Australian Government". www.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
10. ^ "Major redevelopment of John Forrest Secondary College unveiled | Western Australian Government". www.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 18 December 2024.