Natasha Maclaren-Jones

Natasha Maclaren-Jones (born 11 March 1976) is an Australian politician, and is a Liberal Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since March 2011.[1] Before Parliament, Maclaren-Jones was a senior advisor to Helen Coonan and Bronwyn Bishop and was the State Liberal Party President that presided over the largest Coalition win in NSW political history.[2]

Maclaren-Jones was nominated as the Liberal candidate for the President of the New South Wales Legislative Council in March 2021 after the resignation of John Ajaka.[3] The Labor Opposition nominated Peter Primrose. Maclaren-Jones received 20 votes and Primrose 14, with eight informal votes. The clerk ruled that a majority of the 42 available votes was required for election, although the Liberal Party presented advice from the Crown Solicitor that a plurality of the votes was sufficient and congratulated Maclaren-Jones on her election.[4] As the dispute over the presidency continued, Maclaren-Jones assumed the chair without being declared elected by the clerk on the night of 4 May 2021, before losing a vote of no confidence less than 90 minutes later. On the subsequent ballot to elect a new president, fellow Liberal Matthew Mason-Cox nominated for the role and won the election with 23 votes to Maclaren-Jones's 18 with the support of the opposition and the crossbench.[5]

On 27 May 2021, Maclaren-Jones was appointed as Cabinet Secretary.[1]