Lara Alexander

Lara Alexander
Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Bass
In office
25 February 2022 – 23 March 2024
Preceded bySarah Courtney
Personal details
Born (1967-07-13) 13 July 1967 (age 57)
Bucharest, Romania
Political partyIndependent (2023–2024)
Other political
affiliations		Liberal (until 2023)

Lara Maria Alexander (born 13 July 1967)[1] is an Australian politician. She has been a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the division of Bass since 2022, serving as a member for the Liberal Party before moving to the crossbench as an independent in 2023.

Alexander was born in Romania.[2] She is an accountant and holds a Bachelor of Economic Studies (Honours). She was general manager of Presbyterian Care Tasmania and in 2018 became chief executive officer of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Tasmania.[3] She was an unsuccessful Liberal candidate for Bass at the 2021 Tasmanian state election, and complained during the campaign of being prevented from speaking publicly by Liberal Party headquarters.[4] In February 2022 she filled the vacancy caused by Sarah Courtney's resignation, winning a recount of votes.[5]

On 12 May 2023, ABC News reported that Alexander, alongside fellow Liberal John Tucker, would leave the Liberal Party to sit as an independent, in part due to concerns related to the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium project.[6] This left the Liberal party in minority government and requiring 7 seats to reach a majority in the next state election. At the next state election held in March 2024, Alexander lost her seat.[7]

  1. ^ "Lara Alexander". Members of the Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  2. ^ Bovill, Monte (13 May 2023). "From low profile MPs to headline grabbers — who are Lara Alexander and John Tucker?". ABC News. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  3. ^ Green, Antony (2021). "Bass - TAS Electorate, Candidates, Results". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  4. ^ Holmes, Adam (13 April 2021). "Lara Alexander's Liberal Bass campaign complains of 'complete control' from party in Hobart". The Examiner.
  5. ^ "Courtney recount scrutiny sheets" (PDF). Tasmanian Electoral Commission.
  6. ^ Pridham, Bec (12 May 2023). "Tasmania's Liberal government to be thrown into minority as MPs defect over $715 million AFL stadium in Hobart". ABC News. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Lara Alexander speaks after defeat in Tasmanian election". ABC News. 23 March 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.