Fiona Patten was a member of the Victorian parliament from 2014 to 2022. She campaigned on harm reduction policies for 30 years and initiated and delivered reforms including drug law reform, voluntary assisted dying, abortion law reform, the decriminalisation of sex work and most recently campaigned vigorously for evidence-based policies and regulation for safer nicotine products, both in Australia and internationally. Since leaving parliament she has continued to work on social reform issues and remains passionate about tobacco harm reduction and constantly disappointed with her own country’s approach to it. The award is presented in recognition of her efforts to promote the science of tobacco harm reduction and the rights of smokers who choose to switch to using safer nicotine.
