{{short description|Australian politician (born 1964)}} {{BLP sources|date=December 2025}} {{Use Australian English|date=December 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Fiona Patten | office = Leader of [[Reason Australia]]{{efn|name=asp|formerly the Australian Sex Party}} | honorific_prefix = | honorific_suffix = | image = Peace Day Rally Truth Not War - Free Julian Assange (52368527280) (cropped).jpg | image_size = | caption = Patten in 2022 | deputy = | predecessor = Herself (as Leader of the Australian Sex Party) | signature = | party = {{Nowrap|[[Legalise Cannabis Australia|Legalise Cannabis]] (since 2024)}} | office3 = Member of the [[Victorian Legislative Council]] for [[Northern Metropolitan Region|Northern Metropolitan]] | birth_name = Fiona Heather Patten | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1964|5}}<!--https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=796036620590242--> | birth_place = [[Canberra]], [[Australian Capital Territory]], Australia | death_date = | death_place = | other_party = {{Nowrap|[[Hare-Clark Independent Party|Hare-Clark Independent]] (1991–1992)<br />[[Independent politician|Independent]] (1992–2009) <br> [[Reason Australia]]{{efn|name=asp}} (2009–2024) <!-- The Party was only renamed to the "Reason Party". It is not a completely different party, and therefore no separation is needed between "Sex" and "Reason" -->}} | education = [[Hawker College]] | alma_mater = [[University of Canberra]] | occupation = Chief executive officer<br />(Eros Association)<br />Fashion designer<br />(Body Politics) | profession = [[Lobbyist]]<br />Businesswoman<br />Politician<br />Former sex worker | term_start3 = 29 November 2014 | term_end3 = 26 November 2022 | predecessor3 = [[Matthew Guy]] | successor = | term_start = (as [[Reason Party (Australia)|Reason Party]])<br />29 January 2018 | term_end = 7 March 2024 | term_start2 = (as [[Australian Sex Party]])<br />5 December 2009 | term_end2 = 24 November 2017 | predecessor2 = ''Party established'' | successor2 = Herself (as Leader of the Australian Reason Party) | office4 = President of the [[Fiona Patten#Eros Association|Eros Association]] | term_start4 = 21 November 1992 | term_end4 = 23 November 2014 | predecessor4 = ''Organisation established'' | successor4 = David Watt | office5 = Director of the National Museum of Erotica | term_start5 = 1 March 2001 | predecessor5 = ''Institution established'' | website = {{official website|https://fionapatten.com.au/}} }}

'''Fiona Heather Patten''' (born May 1964) is an Australian politician. She was the leader of [[Reason Australia]] (also known as the Reason Party) and was a member of the [[Victorian Legislative Council]] between 2014 and 2022, representing the [[Northern Metropolitan Region]], until she lost her seat at the [[2022 Victorian state election|2022 state election]].

Patten established the [[Australian Sex Party]] in 2009 to focus on personal freedoms after deep frustration with stagnation on censorship, freedom, [[marriage equality]] and [[Drug policy reform|drug law reform]]. On 22 August 2017, it was announced that the Australian Sex Party would be changing its name to the Reason Party.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/australian-sex-party-to-become-the-reason-party-20170821-gy185f.html |title=Australian Sex Party to become the Reason Party |publisher=Smh.com.au |date=21 August 2017 |access-date=11 December 2018 |archive-date=22 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822134111/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/australian-sex-party-to-become-the-reason-party-20170821-gy185f.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-22/sex-party-changes-its-name-to-reason-party/8830106 |title=Sex Party to change name to Reason Party, founder Fiona Patten announces |publisher=ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) |date=22 August 2017 |access-date=11 December 2018 |archive-date=22 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822165557/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-22/sex-party-changes-its-name-to-reason-party/8830106 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="autogenerated3">{{cite web |url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/08/22/sex-party-changes-its-name-mp-takes-aim-extremists-australian-politics |title=Sex Party changes its name, MP takes aim at 'extremists' in Australian politics |publisher=SBS News |date=22 August 2017 |access-date=11 December 2018 |archive-date=9 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109211621/http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/08/22/sex-party-changes-its-name-mp-takes-aim-extremists-australian-politics |url-status=live }}</ref>

Before entering politics, Patten was the CEO of Australia's national adult industry association, Eros Association. She championed sexual rights and health movements for more than 20 years, particularly on HIV/AIDS, after initially starting out as a small business owner with her own fashion label.

During her time as a Victorian MP, Patten has been credited for playing pivotal roles in achieving social reforms in [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]], with examples including the passage of [[Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 (Victoria)|Victoria's assisted dying legislation]], the trial of a [[Supervised injection site|medically supervised drug injecting room]] in [[Richmond, Victoria|Richmond]], relaxing laws for ride-share companies such as Uber and establishing buffer zones for abortion clinics to keep protesters away from patients and staff.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Preiss |first1=Benjamin |title=Fiona Patten wins back upper house seat after nervous two-week wait |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/fiona-patten-wins-back-upper-house-seat-after-nervous-two-week-wait-20181211-p50ljo.html |website=The Age |date=11 December 2018 |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=9 September 2020 |archive-date=10 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810213459/https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/fiona-patten-wins-back-upper-house-seat-after-nervous-two-week-wait-20181211-p50ljo.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Carey |first1=Adam |title=Party in the upper house: Who's who on new Victorian crossbench |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/party-in-the-upper-house-who-s-who-on-new-victorian-crossbench-20181211-p50li6.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=11 December 2018 |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=9 September 2020 |archive-date=6 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306120502/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/party-in-the-upper-house-who-s-who-on-new-victorian-crossbench-20181211-p50li6.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to ''The Age'', between November 2018 and November 2021, Patten voted with the Andrews Government's position 74.3% of the time, the second-most of any Legislative Council crossbencher, behind only [[Andy Meddick]] of the [[Animal Justice Party]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sakkal |first1=Paul |title='Is this what compliant looks like?': Victoria's crossbench conflict |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/is-this-what-compliant-looks-like-victoria-s-crossbench-conflict-20211124-p59bnh.html |website=The Age |date=26 November 2021 |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=1 December 2021 |archive-date=28 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828025110/https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/is-this-what-compliant-looks-like-victoria-s-crossbench-conflict-20211124-p59bnh.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2024, Patten announced that she was deregistering Reason Australia.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Godde |first=Callum |date=2024-03-07 |title=Prominent ex-Victorian MP rules out political comeback |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8547843/prominent-ex-victorian-mp-rules-out-political-comeback/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=The Canberra Times |language=en-AU |archive-date=20 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240920020243/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8547843/prominent-ex-victorian-mp-rules-out-political-comeback/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 2024, it was announced that Fiona Patten will be the lead Senate candidate of [[Legalise Cannabis Australia]] (also known as the Legalise Cannabis Party) in Victoria at the [[2025 Australian Senate election#Victoria|2025 Australian Senate election]].<ref name="Legalise Cannabis, September 2024">{{cite web |url= https://www.legalisecannabis.org.au/lead_candidate_announcement |title= Lead Candidate Announcement |website= legalisecannabis.org.au |publisher= Legalise Cannabis Australia |access-date= 5 September 2024 |archive-date= 20 September 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240920020243/https://www.legalisecannabis.org.au/lead_candidate_announcement |url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="Herald Sun, August 2024">{{cite news |date= 31 August 2024 |title= Fiona Patten to represent Legalise Cannabis Party and run for Senate seat |url= https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/fiona-patten-to-represent-legalise-cannabis-party-and-run-for-senate-seat/news-story/f17bdd4afce6ae5cf7c7ed88afc9e0c1 |work= Herald Sun |access-date= 5 September 2024}}</ref> She was unsuccessful.

==Early life and career== Patten was born in [[Canberra]], Australian Capital Territory, the daughter of Colin Richard Lloyd "Rick" Patten, an Australian naval officer, and his wife Anne, a Scottish-born public servant who worked for a government-owned telecommunications company.{{ref|http://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/sex-partys-fiona-patten-on-her-journey-from-parlour-to-parliament-20141226-12k7l2}}

Rick and Anne Patten had met in [[Scotland]], where the former had been posted, and after her birth Patten spent parts of her childhood in the United Kingdom and the United States, in concert with her father's postings. Patten has a younger sister and a younger brother.

Patten received her primary education overseas. She excelled in sport and took particular interest in swimming. Upon returning to Australia with her family in 1978, Patten attended [[Hawker College]] in Canberra where she studied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Industrial Arts, Technical Drawing, Landscape Design and Environmental Studies. She went on to study Landscape Architecture and Industrial Design at the [[University of Canberra]]. She later graduated with qualifications in fashion design and started her own fashion label, ''Body Politics''. The first [[boutique]] was opened in [[Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory|Yarralumla]] in the late 1980s, where she sold her own fashion creations as well as the designs of colleagues in [[Sydney]]. During the [[early 1990s recession in Australia]], interest in Patten's expensive collection was received largely from workers in the [[sex industry]].{{ref|http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/now-that-sex-party-mp-fiona-patten-has-your-attention--20160211-gmr6ge.html}}{{ref|http://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/sex-partys-fiona-patten-on-her-journey-from-parlour-to-parliament-20141226-12k7l2}}

==Business career, 1988–2014==

===Body Politics=== Patten started her career with her company ''Body Politics''. With her large clientele of sex workers, Patten became interested in [[sex workers' rights]], eventually joining ''Workers in Sex Employment'' (WISE), a lobbying group, to inform at-risk members of the population about the emerging threat of HIV/AIDS. Patten was employed as an outreach speaker and would once a week visit brothels to teach the women about safe sex.{{ref|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBhh_U-PjGE}}{{ref|http://www.bodypolitics.com.au/}}

From 1990 to 1992, Patten was a sex worker herself. Her initial encounter began at ''Tiffany's Palace'' in Canberra, where she had intercourse with a client when another worker was unavailable.{{ref|http://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/sex-partys-fiona-patten-on-her-journey-from-parlour-to-parliament-20141226-12k7l2}}

{{blockquote|I remember it all very clearly and thinking afterwards: how easy was that? It was just so easy. There was this nice man in his early 30s, we had a spa and sex and that was that – ''Fiona Patten, article by Sally Patten for the Australian Financial Review, December 2014''{{ref|http://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/sex-partys-fiona-patten-on-her-journey-from-parlour-to-parliament-20141226-12k7l2}}}}

Patten eventually lost interest in her work, which had also interfered with her social and professional life. After working as a [[Call girl|female escort]] in [[Cairns, Queensland]], Patten quit sex work in 1992 and continued in [[sex education]].{{ref|{http://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/sex-partys-fiona-patten-on-her-journey-from-parlour-to-parliament-20141226-12k7l2}}

===Eros Association=== In 1992, Patten and her partner, Robbie Swan, established the Eros Association, a [[peak body]] for the adult industry.<ref>Mark Dapin, [http://www.theage.com.au/good-weekend/now-that-sex-party-mp-fiona-patten-has-your-attention--20160211-gmr6ge.html?deviceType=text "Now that Sex Party MP Fiona Patten has your attention ..."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213170923/http://www.theage.com.au/good-weekend/now-that-sex-party-mp-fiona-patten-has-your-attention--20160211-gmr6ge.html?deviceType=text |date=13 February 2017 }}, ''The Age'', 13 February 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2017.</ref> {{ref|https://au.linkedin.com/company/eros-association}}{{Ref|http://eros.org.au/about-us/}}

The company extended its interests into publications, public relations, business, and political advocacy. Eros was heavily involved in the editing and publication of a [[satire|political humour and satire]] magazine entitled ''Matilda'', an [[Pornographic magazine|adult magazine]] entitled ''Ecstacy'', and launched their own "sex and politics" themed magazine ''Eros''.{{ref|http://www.bodypolitics.com.au/bppublications.html}}

The Eros Association was instrumental in support for the [[Brindabella Ranges|Brindabella Wilderness Project]], an initiative to preserve wildlife in the [[Brindabella Valley]] [[Brindabella Ranges|and Mountains]].{{ref|http://www.brindabellareserve.com.au/}}

In 2001, the company established the first National Museum of Erotica, dedicated to the history of [[erotica]] and the preservation of [[erotic art]], [[Erotic literature|literature]], [[Sex in film|film]] and [[Erotic photography|photography]]. The museum was unveiled by Chief Minister [[Kate Carnell]]. While the physical presence of the museum was closed in 2002, the collection remained preserved and continued to grow, with over 400 individual pieces catalogued by 2005, and instead maintained a virtual presence on the internet. {{ref|http://www.bodypolitics.com.au/bpmuseum.html}}

Patten scaled down her interests in the company in 2000 to pursue other interests in advocacy. She returned in 2006 and left again in 2014 when she was elected to the [[Parliament of Victoria|Victorian Parliament]].

===National Museum of Erotica=== The National Museum of Erotica was opened in Canberra in 2001, dedicated to the history of [[erotica]] and the preservation of [[erotic art]], [[Erotic literature|literature]], [[Sex in film|film]] and [[Erotic photography|photography]]. The museum was unveiled by Chief Minister [[Kate Carnell]] and was the first establishment of its kind in Australia.{{ref|http://www.bodypolitics.com.au/bpmuseum.html}}

The National Museum of Erotica collected works from the likes of [[Brett Whiteley]], [[Charles Blackman]], [[Salvatore Zofrea]], [[Lesbia Thorpe]], [[Richard Larter]], [[Mario Azzopardi]], and more historically [[Mihály Zichy]]. Patten expressed that the collection and archiving of erotic, pornographic and sexual art and artefacts is fundamentally different from the collection of non-sexual material because the former was perceived as a rapidly diminishing resource in the world.{{ref|http://www.bodypolitics.com.au/bpmuseum.html}}

The museum housed erotic artistic works, including paintings, [[pictures]], [[Pin-up model|pin-up]], illustrated books, [[comic strips]] and films, from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, [[Hungary]], Russia and Australia.{{ref|http://www.bodypolitics.com.au/bpmuseum.html}}

The museum also displayed a collection of [[sex toy]]s, including [[dildo]]s, [[vibrator (sex toy)|vibrators]] and other mechanical devices dating back to the late 1800s.{{ref|http://www.bodypolitics.com.au/bpmuseum.html}}

The museum was closed in 2002, but the collection remained preserved and continued to grow, with over 400 individual pieces catalogued by 2005. The museum now maintains an internet archive.{{ref|http://www.bodypolitics.com.au/bpmuseum.html}}

==Political career (1992–2024)==

Patten first sought election in the [[1992 Australian Capital Territory election]]. Patten contested the second election for representation in the multi-member single constituency [[Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly]] as part of the [[Hare-Clark Independent Party]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brough |first1=Jodie |title=Patten says she is not a single-issue candidate |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/133929825 |publisher=The Canberra Times |access-date=24 October 2024 |page=3 |date=9 February 1992}}</ref> Patten ran alongside the sitting member [[Craig Duby]], however both Duby and Patten were unsuccessful in being elected.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.act.gov.au/elections/1992/candidates_92.html |work=1992 Election |title=List of candidates |publisher=[[Australian Capital Territory Electoral Commission|ACT Electoral Commission]] |year=1992 |access-date=3 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930014250/http://www.elections.act.gov.au/elections/1992/candidates_92.html |archive-date=30 September 2009 }}</ref>

===Australian Sex Party (2009–2017)=== {{Main|Australian Sex Party}} [[File:Fiona Patten.jpg|thumb|Patten in 2009]] In 2009, Patten founded the [[Australian Sex Party]], which began by focusing on law reform for the sex industry, but soon "broadened [its] platform to include supporting voluntary euthanasia, same-sex marriage, decriminalising cannabis for personal use, greater transparency in government through freedom of information laws, and increasing people’s right to privacy."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/sex-party-s-fiona-patten-on-her-journey-from-parlour-to-parliament-20141227-12k7l2 |title=Sex Party's Fiona Patten on her journey from parlour to Parliament |publisher=The Australian Financial Review |date=19 July 2010 |access-date=11 July 2019 |archive-date=11 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711123518/https://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/sex-party-s-fiona-patten-on-her-journey-from-parlour-to-parliament-20141227-12k7l2 |url-status=live }}</ref> Patten later advocated for legalising cannabis rather than decriminalisation.<ref>{{cite news |last= Patten |first= Fiona |date= 19 December 2016 |title= The Sex Party's Fiona Patten on Why Australia Needs to Legalise Recreational Weed |url= https://www.vice.com/en/article/fiona-patten-smokes-weed-legalisation-of-marijuana-australia/ |work= Vice |access-date= 19 December 2016 |archive-date= 20 September 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240920020247/https://live.primis.tech/live/liveVideo.php?vpaidManager=sekindo&s=58057&ri=6C69766553746174737C736B317B54307D7B64323032342D30392D32305F30357D7B7331373236333433387D7B4333307D7B53643364334C6E5A7059325575593239747D7B626368726F6D657D7B716465736B746F707D7B6F77696E646F77737D7B583630307D7B593333387D7B66317D7B4C32303736397DFEFE&userIpAddr=207.241.236.169&userUA=Mozilla%2F5.0+%28Windows+NT+10.0%3B+Win64%3B+x64%29+AppleWebKit%2F537.36+%28KHTML%2C+like+Gecko%29+Chrome%2F115.0.0.0+Safari%2F537.36&debugInformation=&isWePassGdpr=1&noViewableMidrollPolicy=vary&isDoublePreroll=1&autoSkipVideoSec=22&c2pWaitTime=10&sdkv=&isSinglePageFloatSupport=0&availCampaigns=&isAmpIframe=0&tagKeywords=&cbuster=1726797766&csuuid=66ecd7c61b5ad&debugInfo=17263438_&debugPlayerSession=&pubUrlDEMO=&isAsyncDEMO=0&customPlaylistIdDEMO=&sta=17263438&showLogo=0&clkUrl=&plMult=-1&schedule=eyJwcmVfcm9sbCI6MSwibWlkX3JvbGwiOltdLCJnYXAiOiJhdXRvIn0%3D&content=plembed3edcgjvwtusq&secondaryContent=&x=600&y=338&pubUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vice.com%2Fen%2Farticle%2Ffiona-patten-smokes-weed-legalisation-of-marijuana-australia%2F&contentNum=1&flow_closeBtn=1&flowCloseTimeout=0&flow_closeButtonPosition=right&flow_direction=br&flow_horizontalOffset=10&flow_bottomOffset=10&impGap=1&flow_width=350&flow_height=197&videoType=flow&isOriginImg=0&gdpr=0&gdprConsent=&contentFeedId=&geoLati=37.751&geoLong=-97.822&vpTemplate=20769&flowMode=seenboth&isRealPreroll=0&playerApiId=&isApp=0&ccpa=0&ccpaConsent=1---&subId=&appName=&appBundleId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vice.com%2Fen%2Farticle%2Ffiona-patten-smokes-weed-legalisation-of-marijuana-australia%2F&appStoreUrl=&diaid=&appPrivacyPolicy=&appIsPaid=&appDeveloper=&appId=&appVersion=&sdkv=&enableResizeObserverInapp=0&isAppJs=0 |url-status= live }}</ref>

Patten contested the seat of [[Division of Higgins|Higgins]] in [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]] at the [[2009 Higgins by-election|2009 by-election]]. She received over three per cent of the vote, placing her fourth out of ten candidates. Her campaign was based on opposing [[Australian Greens Victoria|Greens Victoria]] candidate [[Clive Hamilton]]'s proposal for an [[Internet censorship in Australia|ISP-level Internet filter]] which would block access to websites containing [[Refused Classification|RC]]-rated content—that is, legal material which is banned from sale, trade or public exhibition due to its extreme nature.{{Citation needed|reason=Is there a mainstream news article about her campaign and what it was based on? Otherwise this sentence should be removed.|date=July 2019}}

Patten publicly criticised the proposal. She appeared in the ''[[Four Corners (Australian TV program)|Four Corners]]'' episode "Access Denied" arguing that it would include blocking access to adult films such as ''[[Pirates (2005 film)|Pirates]]''—refused classification because of a technicality—that do not depict sexual violence, are extremely popular overseas and are available for download on dozens of websites.<ref>{{Cite episode | title = Access Denied | url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2010/s2893505.htm | series = Four Corners | series-link = Four Corners | credits = Quentin McDermott | network = ABC | airdate = 7 May 2010 | access-date = 11 May 2010 | archive-date = 13 May 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100513145506/http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2010/s2893505.htm | url-status = live }}</ref>

{{See also|Senate results for the Australian federal election, 2010}} The party contested all states and territories, except for Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, in the [[Australian Senate|Senate]] and six of 150 [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] seats at the [[2010 Australian federal election|2010 federal election]]. The party won 2.04 per cent of the national Senate vote, over 250,000 first preferences.<ref>[http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-15508-NAT.htm First Preferences for the Senate – 2010 federal election: AEC] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901072438/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-15508-NAT.htm |date=1 September 2010 }}</ref> After the major parties and the [[Australian Greens Victoria|Greens]], the Sex Party during the vote count were "neck and neck" with the [[Family First Party]] for the fourth place in the national Senate vote.<ref>[http://www.australiannews.net/story/676335 Australian Sex Party does well: AustralianNews.net 24 August 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511180545/http://www.australiannews.net/story/676335 |date=11 May 2011 }}</ref> The party "outpolled several more prominent minor parties and came within about 10,000 votes of Family First for the Senate in Victoria".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/australian-sex-party-picks-up-votes/story-fn5ko0pw-1225909092216 |title=Australian Sex Party picks up votes |publisher=Herald Sun |date=24 August 2010 |access-date=11 December 2018 |archive-date=30 December 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121230134349/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/australian-sex-party-picks-up-votes/story-fn5ko0pw-1225909092216 |url-status=live }}</ref> After the party's first federal election contest, Patten claimed that the Sex Party was "now the major minor party in Australian politics":

<blockquote>We've polled better than the Greens did in their first federal election and believe that our vision of Australia as the most socially progressive country in the world is equal to the Greens environmental messages of 20 years ago.<ref>[http://www.sexparty.org.au/index.php/news/press-releases/854-sex-party-now-the-major-minor-party-in-australian-politics Sex Party Now The Major Minor Party in Australian Politics: Sex Party website 23 August 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302192809/http://www.sexparty.org.au/index.php/news/press-releases/854-sex-party-now-the-major-minor-party-in-australian-politics |date=2 March 2012 }}</ref></blockquote>

While the Sex Party did not win any seats, their preferences were substantially beneficial to the Greens who won a Senate seat in every state for the first time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/greens-win-seats-in-every-state-20100822-13b38.html |title=Greens win seats in every state |publisher=Smh.com.au |date=3 August 2010 |access-date=11 December 2018 |archive-date=25 August 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20100825163357/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/greens-win-seats-in-every-state-20100822-13b38.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/senate-results.htm| title = Senate Results - Summary - 2010 Federal Election - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)| publisher = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]| date = 26 September 2023| access-date = 11 September 2010| archive-date = 16 May 2019| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190516003855/http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/senate-results.htm| url-status = live}}</ref>

Patten contested the [[Northern Metropolitan Region]] in the [[Victorian Legislative Council]] at the [[2010 Victorian state election]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/sex-party-hoping-to-get-lucky-in-victoria-20101125-188vm.html |title=Sex Party hoping to get lucky in Victoria |publisher=News.smh.com.au |date=25 November 2010 |access-date=11 December 2018 |archive-date=29 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529023530/http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/sex-party-hoping-to-get-lucky-in-victoria-20101125-188vm.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Patten contested the [[2012 Melbourne state by-election]], coming third out of 16 candidates, receiving 6.6 per cent of the vote, in the absence of a [[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)|Liberal Party]] candidate. She says the party preferenced Labor ahead of the Greens due to the "anti-sex feminist movement" within the Greens,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/greens-snub-could-cost-preferences-in-melbourne-by-election/story-e6frf7kx-1226429424427 |title=Greens snub could cost preferences in Melbourne by-election |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |date=19 July 2010 |access-date=11 December 2018}}</ref><ref>[http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/blog-with-derryn-hinch/the-melbourne-byelection-special/20120719-22cq4.html The Melbourne byelection special: 3AW 19 July 2012] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724023719/http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/blog-with-derryn-hinch/the-melbourne-byelection-special/20120719-22cq4.html |date=24 July 2012 }}</ref> but that future preferences may change again.<ref>[http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/article/14337824/official-by-election-outcome-still-days-away/ Official by-election outcome still days away: Yahoo News 23 July 2012]{{dead link|date=December 2018}}</ref>

Patten was again a Sex Party candidate for a [[Australian Senate|senate]] seat in Victoria at the [[2013 Australian federal election|2013 federal election]].

Patten successfully contested the [[Northern Metropolitan Region]] in the [[Victorian Legislative Council]] during the [[2014 Victorian state election]] becoming the first candidate for the Australian Sex Party to be elected to parliament.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-16/minor-parties-to-make-up-almost-one-third-victoria-upper-house/5970414 |title=Minor parties to make up almost one third of Victoria's newly-elected Upper House |publisher=ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) |date=16 December 2014 |access-date=11 December 2018 |archive-date=14 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114160037/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-16/minor-parties-to-make-up-almost-one-third-victoria-upper-house/5970414 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Reason Party (2017–2024)=== [[File:Fiona Patten in 2019.jpg|thumb|Fiona Patten in 2019]] On 22 August 2017, there were reports that the Australian Sex Party would be changing its name and becoming the Reason Party.<ref name="autogenerated1"/><ref name="autogenerated2"/><ref name="autogenerated3"/> This was later confirmed, and the Reason Party registered for federal elections in Australia in May 2018, and was confirmed as "[[Reason Australia]]" on 30 August 2018.

In December 2018, Patten put forward a legislative bill to legalise cannabis in the state of Victoria.<ref>{{cite news |last= Preiss |first= Benjamin |date= 19 December 2018 |title= Fiona Patten moves to legalise cannabis, predicts revenue of $205m |url= https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/fiona-patten-moves-to-legalise-cannabis-predicts-revenue-of-205m-20181219-p50n4t.html |work= The Age |access-date= 17 June 2023 |archive-date= 20 April 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230420014253/https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/fiona-patten-moves-to-legalise-cannabis-predicts-revenue-of-205m-20181219-p50n4t.html |url-status= live }}</ref>

In February 2022, the [[Prostitution in Australia#Victoria|state of Victoria decriminalised sex work]]. The bill passed to repeal offences and criminal penalties for consensual sex work between adults. Patten has been referenced as having led Victoria's review into decriminalising the industry and been fighting for reforms for 40 years.<ref>{{cite news |last1= Godde |first1= Callum |last2= Woods |first2= Emily |date= 10 February 2022 |title= Vic decriminalises sex work as bill passes |url= https://www.examiner.com.au/story/7615400/vic-decriminalises-sex-work-as-bill-passes/ |work= The Examiner |access-date= 24 February 2022 |archive-date= 24 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220224210751/https://www.examiner.com.au/story/7615400/vic-decriminalises-sex-work-as-bill-passes/ |url-status= live }}</ref>

In February 2022, Patten introduced a bill to the Victorian upper house to decriminalise all drugs. Under the proposal police would issue a compulsory notice and referral of drug education or treatment to people found to have used or possessed an illicit drug. Those who comply with the notice will not be found guilty or receive a criminal record. "Patrick Lawrence, chief executive of addiction, mental health and legal services hub First Step, said the bill would ensure those struggling with addiction, who were often targeted by Victoria's drug laws, received help rather than condemnation."<ref>{{cite news |date= 23 February 2022 |title= Support grows for Portugal-style plan to decriminalise drug use and possession in Victoria |url= https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/support-grows-for-portugal-style-plan-to-decriminalise-drug-use-and-possession-in-victoria/yylwvcs04 |publisher= [[SBS News]] |access-date= 24 February 2022 |archive-date= 20 September 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240920020244/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/support-grows-for-portugal-style-plan-to-decriminalise-drug-use-and-possession-in-victoria/yylwvcs04 |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date= 18 February 2022 |title= Reason Party Leader to introduce bill to decriminalise all drugs |url= https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/mornings/fiona-patten-decriminalise-drugs/13760498 |work= [[ABC News (Australia)]] |access-date= 24 February 2022 |archive-date= 18 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220218023945/https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/mornings/fiona-patten-decriminalise-drugs/13760498 |url-status= live }}</ref>

[[File:Peace Day Rally Truth Not War - Free Julian Assange (52368527280).jpg|thumb|right|Patten at a [[Melbourne]] rally for International Peace Day in September 2022, calling for an end to militarisation and for [[Julian Assange]]'s freedom]] On 20 September 2022, she revealed that she has cancer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kolovos |first=Benita |date=20 September 2022 |title=Victorian upper house MP Fiona Patten reveals kidney cancer diagnosis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/20/victorian-upper-house-mp-fiona-patten-reveals-kidney-cancer-diagnosis |access-date=21 September 2022 |website=The Guardian |language=en |archive-date=20 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240920020354/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/20/victorian-upper-house-mp-fiona-patten-reveals-kidney-cancer-diagnosis |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the [[2022 Victorian state election]], Patten was unsuccessful in her re-election to the [[Victorian Legislative Council]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Fiona Patten concedes defeat in Victorian election after eight years in upper house |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-12/fiona-patten-concedes-defeat-in-vic-election/101760620 |website=ABC News |access-date=17 June 2023 |language=en-AU |date=12 December 2022 |archive-date=17 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617110438/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-12/fiona-patten-concedes-defeat-in-vic-election/101760620 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In March 2024, Patten announced that Reason was to be dissolved and that she had no plans for a political comeback in the [[2026 Victorian state election]].<ref name=":0" />

===Legalise Cannabis Party (2024–present) === In August 2024, it was announced that Fiona Patten was the lead Senate candidate of [[Legalise Cannabis Australia]] (also known as the Legalise Cannabis Party) in Victoria for the [[2025 Australian Senate election]].<ref name="Legalise Cannabis, September 2024"/><ref name="Herald Sun, August 2024"/>

==Book== Patten's book ''Sex, Drugs and the Electoral Roll'' was published in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1= Moriarty |first1= Liane |last2= Chan |first2= Gabrielle |last3= Williams |first3= Robyn |last4= Kneen |first4= Krissy |last5= Mares |first5= Peter |last6= King |first6= Madonna |last7= David |first7= Sornig |last8= Patten |first8= Fiona |last9= Kurmelovs |first9= Royce |last10= Morton |first10= Rick |date= 24 September 2018 |title= Liane Moriarty, Fiona Patten, Krissy Kneen: books to read in October |url= https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/sep/24/liane-moriarty-fiona-patten-krissy-kneen-books-to-read-in-october |work= The Guardian |access-date= 28 March 2020 |archive-date= 20 September 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240920020244/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/sep/24/liane-moriarty-fiona-patten-krissy-kneen-books-to-read-in-october |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/general-books/current-affairs-politics/Sex-Drugs-and-the-Electoral-Roll-Fiona-Patten-9781925575132 |title= Sex, Drugs and the Electoral Roll |website= Allen & Unwin |access-date= 28 March 2020 |archive-date= 20 September 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240920020859/https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Fiona-Patten-Sex,-Drugs-and-the-Electoral-Roll-9781925575132 |url-status= live }}</ref> It took her two years to write.<ref>{{cite news |last= Wright |first= Tony |date= 5 September 2018 |title= 'I hadn't had a lot of sex lately': Fiona Patten, from sex worker to politician |url= https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/lunch-with-fiona-patten-20180904-h14xo0.html |work= The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date= 28 March 2020 |archive-date= 28 March 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200328091012/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/lunch-with-fiona-patten-20180904-h14xo0.html |url-status= live }}</ref>

==Bibliography== *''Sex, Drugs and the Electoral Roll: My unlikely journey from sex worker to Member of Parliament'' (Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin, {{ISBN|9781925575132}}, published in 2018)

== Awards == Patten was awarded the 2020 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922193030/https://humanistsaustralia.org/awards/ahoy-2020 |date=22 September 2021 |title=Australian Humanist of the Year}} for her achievements in leading debate and securing legislation on many issues of concern to [[humanism|humanists]], particularly end of life, abortion safety, sexual health and drugs of addiction.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://humanistsaustralia.org/awards/ahoy-2020|title=Australian Humanist of the Year 2020|publisher=Humanists Australia|access-date=3 March 2021|date=15 July 2020|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922193030/https://humanistsaustralia.org/awards/ahoy-2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|2}} {{notelist}}

==Further reading== * [https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/fiona-patten-moves-to-legalise-cannabis-predicts-revenue-of-205m-20181219-p50n4t.html Fiona Patten moves to legalise cannabis, predicts revenue of $205m]. [[The Age]]. Published 19 December 2018.

==External links== * [http://fionapatten.com.au/ Official website] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B5HEZB33eM Sex Party vs Family First debate: Sunrise 2 August 2010] * {{IMDb name|id=1621328}}

{{authority control}} {{Cannabis in Australia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patten, Fiona}} [[Category:1964 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century Australian politicians]] [[Category:21st-century Australian women writers]] [[Category:21st-century Australian writers]] [[Category:Australian Sex Party politicians]] [[Category:Australian atheists]] [[Category:Australian businesspeople]] [[Category:Australian humanists]] [[Category:Australian drug policy reform activists]] [[Category:Members of the Victorian Legislative Council]] [[Category:People from Canberra]] [[Category:Australian sex worker activists]] [[Category:University of Canberra alumni]] [[Category:Women members of the Victorian Legislative Council]] [[Category:21st-century Australian women politicians]] [[Category:Australian political party founders]]