{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2012}} {{Infobox political party | name = Reason Australia | logo = Reason Party Logo.svg | colorcode = {{party color|Reason Party (Australia)}} | leader = Fiona Patten | foundation = 22 August 2017 | dissolved = 7 March 2024 | ideology = Civil libertarianism<br />Progressivism<br />Secular liberalism<br />Drug liberalisation | headquarters = | website = [http://www.reason.org.au reason.org.au] | country = Australia | membership = | predecessor = {{unbulleted list|class=nowrap|Australian Sex Party|Australian Cyclists Party|Voluntary Euthanasia Party (NSW)}} | position = {{nowrap|Centre}} to centre-left<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/4871164/sex-party-transforms-into-new-reason-party/|date=22 August 2017|title=Australian Sex Party becomes new 'Reason' party in attempt to capture centrist, disengaged voters|first=David|last=Martin-Guzman|work=Bendigo Advertiser}}</ref> | colours = {{Color box|{{party color|Reason Party (Australia)}}|border=darkgray}} Teal }}
'''Reason Australia''', commonly referred to as the '''Reason Party''' or as simply '''Reason''', was an Australian political party. Its leader, Fiona Patten, described the party as a "civil libertarian alternative".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.news.com.au/sex-party-hopes-to-make-history-and-win-an-upper-house-seat-in-state-election/story-e6frf7kx-1225953485306 | work=Herald Sun | first=Ashley | last=Gardiner | title=Sex Party hopes to make history and win an Upper House seat in state election | date=15 November 2010}}</ref> Patten was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council at the 2018 state election in the Northern Metropolitan Region, after formerly being elected as an Australian Sex Party member for the same seat in 2014. However, she lost re-election in 2022.
Reason was registered at the state level in Victoria and New South Wales, as well as with the Australian Electoral Commission at the federal level. The party was disbanded in March 2024.<ref>{{cite web |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/ |publisher=The Canberra Times |date=7 March 2024}}</ref> Patten subsequently joined Legalise Cannabis Australia.
== History == In August 2017, Fiona Patten announced the launch of a new political party called Reason Australia, in part born from a merger of the Australian Sex Party and the Australian Cyclists Party.<ref name="rebrand">{{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|last=Willingham|first=Richard|date=22 August 2017|work=ABC News|access-date=25 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australian-sex-party-to-become-the-reason-party-20170822-gy185f.html|title=Australian Sex Party to become the Reason Party|last=Preiss|first=Benjamin|date=22 August 2017|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/24/world/australia/sex-party-name-change-reason.html | work=The New York Times| first=Jacqueline | last=Williams | title=Founder of Australia's Sex Party Rebrands It the Reason Party | date=24 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Australian Cyclists Party Closes (and promotes alternative broad issue party) |url=https://www.bicycles.net.au/2017/09/the-australian-cyclists-party-closes-and-promotes-alternative-broad-issue-party/ |website=Bicycles Network Australia |access-date=11 July 2019 |language=en |date=4 September 2017}}</ref> In January 2018, the Victorian Electoral Commission officially changed the party's name from "Australian Sex Party – Victoria" to "Reason Victoria".<ref>[https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/media/20180116-ChangeOfAustralianSexPartyToReasonVictoria.html Change of Australian Sex Party to Reason Victoria] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402071740/https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/media/20180116-ChangeOfAustralianSexPartyToReasonVictoria.html |date=2 April 2019 }}, Victorian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 18 March 2018.</ref>
In May 2018, the party applied to the AEC for registration for federal elections as "Reason Australia",<ref name="Reason register">{{cite web |url=https://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Deregistered_parties/files/2017-6290.pdf |title=Reason Australia |work=Notice of Application for Registration as a Political Party |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |date=16 May 2018 |access-date=16 May 2018}}</ref> which was approved on 30 August 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/party_registration/Registration_Decisions/2018/2018-reason-australia-notice.pdf|title=Registration of a political party: Reason Australia|date=30 August 2018|work=Notice under s 133(1A)(a) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918|publisher=Australian Electoral Commission|access-date=12 September 2018}}</ref>
In December 2019, the NSW branch of the Voluntary Euthanasia Party merged with the Reason Party, and changed its name to "Reason Party NSW".<ref name=reason>{{cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/new-voices-reason-party-comes-to-nsw-to-revive-push-for-assisted-dying-laws-20191227-p53n98.html|title='New voices': Reason Party comes to NSW to revive push for assisted dying laws |last=Fitzsimmons |first=Caitlin |date=29 December 2019 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald }}</ref>
In December 2020 it was announced that Patten would enter a coalition with independent Mildura MP, Ali Cupper who sits in the Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-03|title=Victorian MPs Fiona Patten and Ali Cupper form unique coalition|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-04/victorian-mps-fiona-patten-ali-cupper-form-coalition-of-women/12948418|access-date=2020-12-04|website=abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref> Cupper ended the agreement on 13 May 2021.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Matt |title=Mildura MP Ali Cupper splits with Reason Party |url=https://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/4258421/mildura-mp-ali-cupper-splits-with-reason-party |access-date=13 May 2021 |url-access=subscription | work=Sunraysia Daily |date=13 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513103357/https://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/4258421/mildura-mp-ali-cupper-splits-with-reason-party |archive-date=13 May 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>
In February 2022, Jane Caro announced that she was standing as a candidate for the party for a New South Wales Australian Senate seat in the 2022 Australian federal election.<ref>{{cite news |last= Curtis |first= Katina |date= 24 February 2022 |title= 'We're heading in precisely the wrong direction': Jane Caro chases Senate spot |url= https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/we-re-heading-in-precisely-the-wrong-direction-jane-caro-chases-senate-spot-20220223-p59yul.html |work= The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date= 24 February 2022}}</ref> She was unsuccessful.
Patten was not re-elected at the 2022 Victorian state election, leaving Reason with no elected representatives.
==Parliamentary actions== The party's main goal should they be elected was to establish voluntary assisted dying laws for Victoria. After a long process and a marathon legislative session, the bill became law on a conscience vote.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-22/euthanasia-victorian-parliament-passes-assisted-dying-laws/9156016|title=Victoria set to make history as voluntary assisted dying bill passes Upper House|date=2017-11-22|work=ABC News|access-date=2018-11-06|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/mammoth-debate-over-euthanasia-why-is-it-taking-so-long/news-story/173a6b52cb8a6346c9454530031e5e12|title=They keep going over the same ground again and again|work=NewsComAu|access-date=2018-11-06}}</ref>
In 2017, Patten renewed calls for a pilot program of a safe injecting room in North Richmond, in response to a large increase of Victorian drug-related deaths in the last several years.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-21/heroin-deaths-prompt-calls-for-safe-injecting-rooms-in-victoria/8290366 | work=ABC News | first=James | last=Oaten | title=Heroin deaths prompt renewed calls for Victorian safe injecting rooms | date=21 February 2017 | access-date=3 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/no-government-support-for-richmond-drug-injection-room-despite-community-backing-20170206-gu6yuo.html | work=ABC News | first1=Benjamin | last1=Preiss | first2=Clay | last2=Lucas | title=No government support for Richmond drug injection room despite community backing | date=7 February 2017 | access-date=3 February 2018}}</ref> In the first session for the Legislative Council of the year, she introduced the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Pilot Medically Supervised Injecting Centre) Bill 2017.<ref>{{cite hansard | jurisdiction=State of Victoria | house=Legislative Council | date=7 February 2017 | page=37 | speaker=Fiona Patten | position=Member for Northern Metropolitan}}</ref> At the time there were regular overdoses in the streets of Richmond, and that number has been reduced significantly since the centre was opened, with various estimates about the number of lives saved due to the opening of the centre.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-31/melbourne-safe-injecting-room-saving-lives-director-says/10186564|title=140 lives 'saved' during first months of safe injecting room trial in Melbourne|date=2018-08-31|work=ABC News|access-date=2018-11-06|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/12-lives-saved-in-richmond-safe-drug-injecting-room-s-first-week-20180706-p4zpy4.html|title='12 lives saved' in Richmond safe drug injecting room's first week|last=Booker|first=Chloe|date=2018-07-06|website=The Age|language=en|access-date=2018-11-06}}</ref>
==Policies== right|thumb|Party leader Fiona Patten in November 2018 The party's policies include:<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://reasonvic.org.au/policy/|title=Policies {{!}} Reason Victoria|work=Reason Victoria|access-date=2018-11-20|language=en-US|archive-date=20 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120095548/https://reasonvic.org.au/policy/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== Drug law reform === * Drug use to be treated as a health issue, not a criminal one * Cannabis to be legalised, regulated and taxed * Trial hydromorphone (analogue of heroin) on prescription * Increase in medically supervised injecting centres * Electronic vaporisers and liquid nicotine should be legalised * Pill testing at every music festival<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.3aw.com.au/fiona-patten-continuing-to-refuse-to-allow-pill-testing-at-festivals-is-immoral/|title=Fiona Patten: Continuing to refuse to allow pill testing at festivals is "immoral"|date=2018-12-31|website=3AW|language=en|access-date=2019-01-03}}</ref>
====Cannabis==== In regards to cannabis the party supports the following:<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.reason.org.au/legalise_cannabis |title= Drug Reform: Legalising Cannabis |last= Sinclair |first= Emma |date= 29 March 2022 |website= reason.org.au |access-date= 3 September 2022 |archive-date= 3 September 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220903054742/https://www.reason.org.au/legalise_cannabis |url-status= dead }}</ref>
* The legalisation and regulation of cannabis for people over the age of 18 * Support for the legal possession and use of cannabis for people over the age of 18 * Amending drug driving laws to test for impairment not presence * The cultivation of a defined number of plants in their principal place of residence * Regulations that allow for the establishment of cannabis social clubs * Establishing a regulatory body to oversee the industry * Regulation on the potency of THC in legal cannabis products * Market controls to avoid the creation of a ‘Big Cannabis’ industry * Restrictions on advertising, marketing and promotion products * Competitive pricing to undercut the illicit market * An appropriate tax framework to help fund cannabis related programs * Expunging all historical personal-use cannabis criminal records
=== Tax and churches === * Remove tax exemptions from businesses owned by religious institutions, while protecting their charitable activities * Prevent religious organisations from discriminating by reforming anti-discrimination laws * Religious oaths to be removed from parliamentary proceedings * Extend mandatory reporting laws to religious institutions and end exemptions for admissions disclosed in religious confessions
=== Social housing === * Encourage build-to-rent and rent-to-buy schemes and remove tax barriers *Stamp Duty to be reduced from investments in social housing
=== Gambling === * Setting a maximum bet limit for poker machines and limiting the influence of the pokies industry<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.3aw.com.au/pokies-more-damaging-than-cannabis-patten-calls-for-gambling-limits/|title=Pokies more damaging than cannabis: Patten calls for gambling limits|date=2017-11-28|website=3AW|language=en|access-date=2019-01-04}}</ref>
=== Health === * Vaccination to protect public health and reduce the spread of preventable diseases<ref name="aspvaxbi">{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-australian-sex-party-wrote-this-devastating-response-to-an-anti-vaccination-campaigner-looking-for-support-2016-5|title=The Australian Sex Party wrote this devastating response to an anti-vaccination campaigner looking for support|author=Kimmorley, Sarah|date=16 May 2016|work=Business Insider|access-date=16 May 2016|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108131715/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-australian-sex-party-wrote-this-devastating-response-to-an-anti-vaccination-campaigner-looking-for-support-2016-5|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Establishment of health hubs * Early intervention and evidence-based prevention are the main focus * Create an ombudsman for aged care and retirement housing, and establish a statewide ageing strategy
=== Internet and media === * Expand free wifi in public spaces including on all public transport * Anti-ISP filtering<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rossfitzgerald.com/2010/05/09/internet-censorship-remains-part-of-conroys-agenda/|title=Professor Ross Fitzgerald » Blog Archive » Internet censorship remains part of Conroy's agenda|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-01-03}}</ref> * National media classification and introduction of non-violent sexual content label
=== Other areas === thumb|Reason Party supporters with placards at Yes Marriage Equality rally Sydney Town Hall 10 Sept 2017 * Focusing on community housing and ensuring that at-risk people have a place to live * Decriminalise sex work and remove censorship so that people can make their own choices about what they want to watch * Improving public transport especially for high growth outer suburban areas * Increasing oversight around politicians and tighten the rules to prevent unethical behaviour by the state's politicians and public figures * Taxing the non-charitable business arms of religious institutions. This includes the estimated $9 billion portfolio of the Catholic Church in the state<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/interactive/2018/catholic-inc-what-the-church-is-really-worth/|title=Catholic Inc: What the Church is really worth|last=Vedelago|first=Royce Millar, Ben Schneiders and Chris|website=The Age|language=en|access-date=2018-11-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/time-to-end-tax-exemptions-for-religious-groups-sex-party-20160313-gnhp5n.html|title=Time to end tax exemptions for religious groups: Sex Party|last=Preiss|first=Benjamin|date=13 March 2016|website=The Age}}</ref> * Holding a referendum on whether or not Australia should become a republic * A nationwide trial of a four-day workweek<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.reason.org.au/four_day_working_week |title= Four Day Working Week |date= 29 March 2022 |website= reason.org.au |access-date= 3 September 2022}}</ref> * Provide improved, interconnected and safer walking and cycling paths, including:<ref name="Walking and cycling">{{cite web |url= https://www.reason.org.au/priority_walking_and_cycling_vic |title= Priority Walking and Cycling |date= |website= reason.org.au |access-date= 6 November 2022}}</ref> ** Investment in safe, direct and continuous bike routes, separated from other forms of traffic ** Revitalisation and expansion of existing cycling trails ** Providing bike racks on buses, trams and trains * The right for terminally ill people to choose voluntary assisted dying<ref name="VAD">{{cite web |url= https://www.reason.org.au/voluntary_assisted_dying |title= Voluntary Assisted Dying |date= 29 March 2022 |website= reason.org.au |access-date= 3 September 2022}}</ref> ** Repealing laws that prevent the territories from enacting voluntary assisted dying legislation<ref name="VAD"/> ** Promote and support legalisation of voluntary assisted dying in every state and territory of Australia<ref name="VAD"/>
== Electoral history == === Victorian state elections === thumb|Fiona Patten Portrait 2013|245x245px In addition to fielding candidates in a number of Victorian Legislative Assembly seats, the party stood candidates in all regions of the Victorian Legislative Council after 2017. In 2018 the party succeeded in re-electing Fiona Patten to the Northern Metropolitan Region.
{| class="wikitable" !Election !Eastern Victoria !North-Eastern Metro !Northern Metro !Northern Victoria !South-Eastern Metro !Southern Metro !Western Metro !Western Victoria !# of seats won |- !2018 |0.81% |1.18% |3.37% |0.70% |0.85% |2.00% |1.15% |0.92% |{{Composition bar|1|40|{{party color|Reason Party (Australia)}}}} |- !2022 |0.74% |0.99% |3.61% |0.81% |0.45% |2.02% |0.81% |0.71% |{{Composition bar|0|40|{{party color|Reason Party (Australia)}}}} |} {| class=wikitable |- | colspan=7|Victorian Legislative Council |- ! Election year ! No of votes ! % of vote ! Seats won ! +/– ! Notes |- ! 2018 | 49,013 | 1.37 (#9) | {{Composition bar|1|40|hex={{party color|Reason Party (Australia)}}}} | {{increase}} 1 | Shared balance of power |- ! 2022 | 46,685 | 1.26 (#13) | {{Composition bar|0|40|hex={{party color|Reason Party (Australia)}}}} | {{decrease}} 1 | |} ==== Victorian state by-elections ==== {| class="wikitable" !Election !Candidate !Vote share !Year |- !Northcote* |Laura Chipp |3.20% |2017 |} <nowiki>*</nowiki>Chipp was endorsed by the party, but the party was not registered with the VEC at the time, as they were in the process of changing their name.
==Links== The party has had some involvement in Glenn Druery's Minor Party Alliance.<ref name=abc-bitter>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-05/bitter-dispute-erupts-over-senate-preferences-in-queensland/4939300 |title=Bitter dispute erupts over Senate preferences in Queensland |author=Bormann, Trevor |date=5 September 2013 |work=ABC News (Australia) |access-date=1 January 2015}}</ref><ref name=tele-alliance>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/special-features/alliance-of-micro-parties-boosts-odds-for-likes-of-one-nation-or-shooters-and-fishers-gaining-senate-spot-through-preferences/story-fnho52jp-1226713114765 |title=Alliance of micro parties boosts odds for likes of One Nation or Shooters and Fishers gaining Senate spot through preferences |author=Wood, Alicia |date=5 September 2013 |work=The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) |access-date=1 January 2015}}</ref> However, in the lead-up to the 2018 state election, Fiona Patten had a falling out with Glenn Druery due to his new conflict of interest as chief-of-staff to Federal Senator, Derryn Hinch, who was running candidates in the election and receiving favourable preferences due to Druery's private business dealings as the "preference whisperer". She claimed that he demanded that the Reason Party pay him money, or she would not be re-elected. Patten made an official complaint to the VEC, and Druery is now subject to an ongoing police investigation over this complaint.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsline.com.au/2018/10/24/derryn-hinchs-preference-whisperer-faces-cash-for-votes-complaint/|title=Derryn Hinch's preference whisperer faces cash-for-votes complaint|work=News Line Australia|access-date=15 November 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=16 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116085400/https://www.newsline.com.au/2018/10/24/derryn-hinchs-preference-whisperer-faces-cash-for-votes-complaint/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/derryn-hinch-s-preference-whisperer-faces-cash-for-votes-complaint-20181024-p50bpx.html|title=Derryn Hinch's preference whisperer faces cash-for-votes complaint|last=Preiss|first=Royce Millar, Ben Schneiders, Benjamin|date=24 October 2018|work=The Age|language=en|access-date=15 November 2018}}</ref>
==See also== * Rachel Payne * Fusion Party (Australia) * Public Education Party
==References== {{reflist}} {{wikinewspar|Australian Sex Party to run independents in Queensland election}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Reason Party}} * [http://www.reason.org.au/ Reason Party] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226050315/http://www.reason.org.au/ |date=26 February 2018 }} official website of the Federal party * [http://www.reasonvic.org.au/ Fiona Pattens Reason Party Victoria] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318191837/http://www.reasonvic.org.au/ |date=18 March 2018 }} official website of the Victoria party
{{Australian political parties}} {{New South Wales political parties}} {{Political parties in Victoria (Australia)}}
Category:2017 establishments in Australia Category:2024 disestablishments in Australia Category:Political parties established in 2017 Category:Political parties disestablished in 2024 Reason Reason Category:Censorship in Australia Category:Civil rights and liberties in Australia Category:Drug policy reform Category:Drugs in Australia Category:Liberalism in Australia Category:Libertarian parties in Australia Category:Progressive parties Category:Secularism in Australia Category:Sex industry in Australia Category:Sex positivism Category:Republican parties in Australia