Aaron Stonehouse
{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Aaron Stonehouse
| office = Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for South Metropolitan
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| image = Aaron Stonehouse.jpg
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| caption = Aaron Stonehouse MLC
| party = Liberal Democratic Party
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1990|6|29}}
| birth_place = Subiaco, Western Australia
| death_date =
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| term_start = 22 May 2017
| term_end = 21 May 2021
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| website = [http://www.aaronstonehousemlc.com.au/ Official Site]
}}
Aaron Stonehouse (born 29 June 1990) is an Australian former politician. He was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council at the 2017 state election, as a Liberal Democratic Party member in South Metropolitan Region. His term began on 22 May 2017.{{cite news|last=Green|first=Antony|author-link=Antony Green|title=WA Election 2017 – South Metropolitan|newspaper=ABC Elections|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/wa-election-2017/results/smet/|access-date=28 July 2021}}{{Cite web|title=Mr Aaron Stonehouse MLC|url=https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/memblist.nsf/WAllMembersFlat/Stonehouse,+Aaron?opendocument|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-28|website=Parliament of Western Australia|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170616072904/http://parliament.wa.gov.au/Parliament/Memblist.nsf/WAllMembersFlat/Stonehouse,+Aaron?opendocument |archive-date = 16 June 2017 }} He lost his seat at the WA State election on 13 March 2021.
Political career
Stonehouse was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council at the 2017 state elections, as a Liberal Democratic Party member for the South Metropolitan Region.
Since his election, he has been a strong and vocal advocate for a range of issues centred upon personal choice, and personal responsibility. He has been an active proponent of drug reform,{{Cite web|date=2018-04-24|title=MPs face off on legalising cannabis|url=https://thewest.com.au/news/perth/mps-face-off-on-legalising-cannabis-ng-b88812874z|access-date=2021-05-01|website=The West Australian|language=en}} and has also advocated for a range of amendments to the WA legal system, to allow for trial by judge alone,{{Cite web|last=Hickey|first=Phil|date=2017-10-24|title=Trial by judge alone bill set to be introduced into state parliament|url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/trial-by-judge-alone-bill-set-to-introduced-into-state-parliament-20171018-gz3kik.html|access-date=2021-05-01|website=WAtoday|language=en}} and to return judicial discretion to property confiscation cases arising from drug declarations.{{Cite web|last=MLC|first=Aaron Stonehouse|date=2018-08-27|title=VIDEO: Stop treating everyone like a drug trafficker – Stonehouse|url=https://medium.com/aaronstonehouse/video-stop-treating-everyone-like-a-drug-trafficker-stonehouse-339377e3823e|access-date=2021-05-01|website=Medium|language=en}}{{Better source needed|date=May 2021}}
In September 2019, Stonehouse fulfilled a long-held commitment by tabling a private members bill, the Firearms Amendment (Airsoft) Bill 2019,[http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/wa/bill/fab2019273/#fab2019273 Firearms Amendment (Airsoft) Bill 2019] (WA) which would have legalised the popular sport of airsoft in Western Australia. Although still live at the conclusion of the 40th Parliament, the Bill was stalled by the Labor Government who, in spite of a substantial petition in favour of legalisation,{{Cite web|last=Hansard|date=Oct 2019|title=FORTIETH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION 2019|url=https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Hansard/hansard.nsf/0/075654B7E5FB65A9482584D500207832/$file/C40%20S1%2020191015%20All.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210202093959/https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Hansard/hansard.nsf/0/075654B7E5FB65A9482584D500207832/$file/C40%20S1%2020191015%20All.pdf |archive-date = 2 February 2021 }} refused to support the legislation.
Stonehouse has also been a vocal advocate for the legalisation of vaping in Western Australia. He was appointed as the WA spokesperson{{Cite web|last=Marar|first=Satyajeet|date=26 July 2018|title=MEDIA RELEASE: Legalise Vaping launches in Western Australia|url=https://www.legalisevaping.com.au/media_release_legalise_vaping_launches_in_western_australia|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009132013/https://www.legalisevaping.com.au/media_release_legalise_vaping_launches_in_western_australia|archive-date=9 October 2018|access-date=9 October 2018|website=Legalise Vaping Australia}} for Legalise Vaping Australia in July 2018, and the Parliamentary Select Committee he chaired later that year looking into nanny state laws received considerable evidence on vaping as a potential quitting aid for those who currently smoke. In November 2020, Stonehouse tabled one of the largest petitions received in the 40th Parliament, totalling 7176 signatures,{{Cite web|last=Hansard|date=Nov 2020|title=FORTIETH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION 2020|url=https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Hansard/hansard.nsf/0/4B33E15FA57EFC024825863100187339/$file/C40%20S1%2020201126%20All.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210728031500/https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Hansard/hansard.nsf/0/4B33E15FA57EFC024825863100187339/$file/C40%20S1%2020201126%20All.pdf |archive-date = 28 July 2021 }} calling for amendments to the Tobacco Control Act 2006 (WA), to legalise the sale of vaping devices in Western Australia, alongside amendments to the Medicines and Poisons Act 2014 (WA), to allow for the sale and use of nicotine in such devices.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
An advocate of free market economics, Stonehouse is on the record as stating that he would "not vote for increases in taxes, or new laws that add to the burden of regulation".{{cite news|last=Stonehouse|first=Aaron|author-link=Aaron Stonehouse|date=29 June 2017|title=Libertarianism is the new heavy metal|newspaper=The Spectator|url=https://www.spectator.com.au/2017/06/libertarianism-is-the-new-heavy-metal/|access-date=28 July 2021}}
In late 2020, the Liberal Democrats WA endorsed Stonehouse to defend his seat as their lead candidate in the South Metropolitan Region at the March 2021 election. He lost, receiving 0.85% of the initial vote and 7.08% after preferences.{{Cite web|last=Green|first=Antony|author-link=Antony Green|title=South Metropolitan Region Results – Western Australia Election 2021 guide|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/wa/2021/guide/results-smet|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-01|publisher=ABC News|language=en-AU|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210314080122/https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/wa/2021/guide/results-smet |archive-date = 14 March 2021 }}