Mary Easson

Mary Easson
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Lowe
In office
13 March 1993 – 2 March 1996
Preceded byBob Woods
Succeeded byPaul Zammit
Personal details
Born (1955-06-16) 16 June 1955
Melbourne
PartyAustralian Labor Party
SpouseMichael Easson

Mary Louise Easson (née Alexander) (born 16 June 1955) is an Australian former politician[1][2] and business consultant.[3][4] She was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1993 to 1996, representing the Sydney-based electorate of Lowe.[5][6]

Early life and career

Easson was born in Melbourne and was educated at Star of the Sea College. She joined the Labor Party at eighteen, and was the Victorian state president and the national vice-president of Australian Young Labor in 1976. She worked thereafter as a political research officer for Frank Crean and Ben Humphreys between 1976 and 1979, as a public affairs manager for Australian Consolidated Industries (ACI) from 1979 to 1985, a human resources manager with Ansett Airlines from 1985 to 1990 and a business consultant from 1990 to 1993. She became a member of the board of UNICEF in 1988 and subsequently served as its national secretary. She was the unsuccessful Labor candidate for Lowe at the 1990 federal election.[5][7][8][9]

In parliament

She was elected to the House of Representatives on her second attempt at the 1993 federal election, defeating Liberal shadow health spokesperson Bob Woods after a redistribution shifted the marginal seat slightly more in Labor's favour. The result was touted as a "surprise" victory that the party had not expected to win, with voter concern over Liberal proposals around Medicare (in Woods' portfolio) and the future of the Sydney Airport curfew and a campaign having reportedly been significant. Easson's campaign was widely praised in the days after the election.[5][10][11][12][13][9][14] She was a member of the Labor Right faction.[5][15]

Easson was touted as a potential candidate for a ministry or parliamentary secretary role, but remained on the backbench.[16][17][18] A devout Catholic, in 1994 she jointly drafted a petition of MPs protesting the timing of an ABC television broadcast of highlights of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, proposing a later evening timeslot rather than opposing the broadcast itself.[15][19] She supported affirmative action for women candidates within Labor, arguing that it would help the party win seats, and moved a resolution to that effect at the 1994 Federal Australian Labor Party Conference.[20]

By late 1994, aircraft noise from Sydney Airport was emerging as a major issue to contend with, with the closure of the east–west runway placing pressure on Easson and other MPs representing areas surrounding the airport, while she also faced pressure over a controversial government decision to expand woodchip exports.[21][22][23][24][25] In the leadup to the 1996 election, the aircraft noise issue became an increasingly dominant issue in her electorate; she was "pushed to the forefront" of the debate, but declined to cross the floor to support a John Howard-written amendment that would have reopened the east–west runway and reduced noise in her electorate. The Sydney Morning Herald wrote that the Labor Party had "helped and cruelled her prospects", but that she was "unlikely to resist the backlash on noise".[26][27][28] By January 1996, amidst poor Labor polling statewide, media reports suggested that she would struggle to hold her seat, with clashing policies over airport noise emerging as a key campaign issue.[29][30][31] She was easily defeated amidst the Labor landslide defeat at the 1996 federal election by Liberal candidate and former state MP Paul Zammit.[32]

Post-politics

Following her 1996 defeat, she was touted as a candidate for Paul Keating's federal seat of Blaxland; but this did not eventuate, with Keating's support for his staffer Michael Hatton seeing him chosen in Blaxland; she specifically ruled out a career in state politics.[33][34][35][36]

In 1996 she founded public affairs firm Probity International.[37] In 1998, The Australian reported a corporate source saying of Easson: "People know that if you want anything from Labor you go to her".[38]

Easson was elected to the board of NRMA on Nicholas Whitlam's ticket in October 1997, becoming deputy president in November 2000.[39][40] She resigned from the NRMA board in late 2001, seeking to focus on her role as director of its demutualised sister company NRMA Insurance.[41][42][43] She continued as a board member of NRMA Insurance (later IAG Group) until her retirement in late 2003.[44]

In 2003 she stood as a candidate for national president of the Labor Party, having been nominated by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie with support from the NSW Right; however, she was unsuccessful.[45] She also served a stint as chairperson of Life Education NSW during the 2000s.[46]

She was seriously ill in 2009, spending 80 days in intensive care with necrotic pancreatitis and six months in hospital.[47]

In 2016 Easson's lobbying activities drew attention due to Probity International's work for InTech Strategies, an Australian company with advisory links to Israeli defence and weapons manufacturer Elbit, which was awarded contracts related to Australian government defence technology projects.[48][49] Easson had emerged as an influential pro-Israel and two-state solution voice within the party’s debates over policy on Israel and Palestine.[50][51] She served as co-chair of the Australia-Israel Leadership Dialogue, which organised policy discussions involving current and former MPs from Australia, Israel, and the United Kingdom.[52][53] Reports confused this organisation with the Melbourne-based Australia-Israel Labour Dialogue (same initials), which was funding trips for MPs to Israel to support its platform.[50] Despite never having been involved with that organisation, Easson stated that Elbit had not made donations to Australian political organisations, including the AILD,[50][54] but was met with criticism from opposing Labor MPs: Bob Carr stated that any connection to Elbit was "a shameful look — arms dealers, civilian deaths, the electronic fence" and called for transparency as to their fundraising, while Melissa Parke said of the situation: "it is a concern not to know who is providing the funds".[55][56] Michael Danby MP, in the Federal Parliament, said in March 2016 “As a matter of fact, both AILD and Elbit have confirmed that no defence contractor has contributed a dollar to the visits of Australian Labor activists to Israel or to the AILD.” And that “Mary is a supporter of Israel …and an activist in the Australian Labor Party, but no credible link can be drawn between her support for these organisations and her professional endeavours.”[57]

After completing a Master’s degree at the University of New South Wales, Easson published a book about the history of Australia's retirement incomes and superannuation system, Keating's and Kelty's Super Legacy, in 2017.[58]

Personal life

In 1984, she married Michael Easson, a businessman, former unionist, and former secretary of the Labor Council of New South Wales. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.[7][15]

References

  1. ↑ "Easson, Mary Louise". AWR. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  2. ↑ "Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia, 2020 – 46th Parliament" (PDF). Department of Parliamentary Services (Parliamentary Library). 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  3. ↑ "Weekly Hansard (30 September 2005)" (PDF). Queensland Parliament. 30 September 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  4. ↑ "Annual Report 2003" (PDF). AnnualReports.com. 2003. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Biography for EASSON, Mary Louise". Australian Parliamentary Library. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  6. ↑ "Comrade Costello". Sydney Morning Herald. 25 September 1999. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Election: the new challengers". 4 March 1990. Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  8. ↑ "Meet your candidates". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 February 1990. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  9. 1 2 "The strength of NSW Labor lies with the past masters". Sydney Morning Herald. 6 April 1993. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  10. ↑ "Record field for election". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 February 1993. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  11. ↑ "Close call, but Mack stays confident". The Age. 14 March 1993. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  12. ↑ "NSW sticks with Labor". Sydney Morning Herald. 14 March 1993. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  13. ↑ "A day of dashed aspirations, ruined careers". The Age. 15 March 1993. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  14. ↑ "Myth of women in politics". Sydney Morning Herald. 19 June 1993. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  15. 1 2 3 "Voters hail Mary, who is shedding weight trying to save Labor's bacon". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 February 1993. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  16. ↑ "Keating stores up trouble". Sydney Morning Herald. 26 March 1994. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  17. ↑ "PM prepares for Cabinet reshuffle". The Age. 18 December 1993. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  18. ↑ "Johns promoted as Willis firms". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 December 1993. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  19. ↑ "It's on: Hewson gets stuck into Howard". Sydney Morning Herald. 6 March 1994. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  20. ↑ "Women Labor's hope, says Kirner". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 March 1994. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  21. ↑ "Crackdown on plane noise". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 November 1994. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  22. ↑ "Residents' wrath will fall on federal Labor". Sydney Morning Herald. 5 December 1994. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  23. ↑ "Caucus anger on woodchips". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 January 1995. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  24. ↑ "Democrats to chip away". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 January 1995. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  25. ↑ "Make Kurnell a runway: MP". Sydney Morning Herald. 1 June 1995. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  26. ↑ "Threat to block leasing of airports". Sydney Morning Herald. 27 September 1995. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  27. ↑ "Political chatter drowns out the aircraft". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 September 1995. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  28. ↑ "First-class brawl for economy seats". Sydney Morning Herald. 30 September 1995. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  29. ↑ "No easy cure for fractured electorate". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 January 1996. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  30. ↑ "Election '96". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 January 1996. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  31. ↑ "Lowe blow on air noise a gift: Easson". Sydney Morning Herald. 1 February 1996. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  32. ↑ "NSW ministers outed". Sydney Morning Herald. 3 March 1996. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  33. ↑ "Labor regroups for long haul". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 March 1996. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  34. ↑ "New polls as MPs head to Canberra". Sydney Morning Herald. 5 March 1996. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  35. ↑ "Losers consider life as jobless statistic". The Age. 5 March 1996. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  36. ↑ "Affirmative inaction". Sydney Morning Herald. 16 May 1996. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  37. ↑ "Our CEO". Probity International. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  38. ↑ "Charity begins . . . at a party for the social networkers". The Australian. 22 October 1998.
  39. ↑ "NRMA leadership on the edge". Sydney Morning Herald. 24 October 1997. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  40. ↑ "Whitllam in driver's seat as NRMA dumps deputy". Sydney Morning Herald. 1 December 2000. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  41. ↑ "Cries of HELP as meeting goes feral". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 November 2001. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  42. ↑ "NRMA boards differ on retirement payouts for directors". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 October 2001. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  43. ↑ "Now for that other political stoush". Sydney Morning Herald. 13 November 2001. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  44. ↑ "IAG okays Whitlam's payment". Daily Telegraph. 2 September 2003.
  45. ↑ "Candidate out of right field to take on Carmen". The Australian. 12 September 2003.
  46. ↑ "Cadman backs Harold". Hills Shire Times. 19 February 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  47. ↑ Easson, Michael (2012). New Boots from the Old: Matthew Walker Robieson's Ideas and the Struggle for Guild Socialism. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  48. ↑ "Elbit Systems lands US$600m Redback contract - Australian Defence Magazine". www.australiandefence.com.au. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  49. ↑ Egozi, Arie (16 March 2010). "Elbit Systems wins $298 million contract with Australian military". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  50. 1 2 3 Kohn, Peter (24 March 2016). "AILD rejects Elbit claims". Australian Jewish News. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  51. ↑ "Noted and Quoted - May 2016". AIJAC. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  52. ↑ "The Dialogue 2021 Register – Leadership Dialogue Institute". Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  53. ↑ "December 2016: Australia Israel UK Leadership Dialogue". Leadership Dialogue Institute. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  54. ↑ "Parliamentary privilege". J-Wire. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  55. ↑ "Israel's fan pushes arms". The Australian. 16 March 2016.
  56. ↑ "Carr wants friends of Israel to open books". The Australian. 17 March 2016.
  57. ↑ "House of Representatives Hansard". Parliament of Australia. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  58. ↑ "Bowen to Morrison: unity is a super idea". The Australian. 16 March 2017.
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