Marion Buchanan

Marion has a unique perspective regarding ethical issues arising in the medico-legal context, particularly in relation to decision-making capacity.  She has spent much of her career representing the interests of marginalised people, including people with mental impairment and disability.

Marion was principal policy adviser to the Hon. John Quigley, MLA, Attorney General; Minister for Electoral Affairs (2021 – 2023) and senior adviser to the Hon. Roger Cook, MLA (then) Deputy Premier; Minister for Health; Minister for Mental Health (2018 – 2021). Immediately prior to this, Marion assisted the Joint Select Committee on End-of-Life Choices with public hearings and the Committee’s report My Life, My Choice, tabled in Parliament in 2018.

Her advisory work for the Ministers spans a considerable range of issues including end-of-life, palliative care, aged care, mental health, disability, guardianship and administration, and people with mental impairment in the justice system. She was the senior adviser on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2019, the principal adviser on the Criminal Law (Mental Impairment) Bill 2023, and the principal adviser and drafting instructor for the Constitutional and Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Equality) Bill 2021 and the Electoral Legislation (Finance and Other Matters) Bill 2023.

Immediately prior to this Marion practiced law for 11 years including 3 years as a Crown (then State) prosecutor for the Western Australian Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) where she appeared in all courts for pleas, sentencing, bail hearings, and as junior counsel at trial hearings.  After leaving the ODPP Marion practiced in family law in both Western Australia and Tasmania.  Marion’s experience base also includes several years in the community legal sector, having been the senior lawyer at the Mental Health Law Centre.  In that role, she represented clients with mental impairment facing criminal charges and those opposing guardianship and administration in the State Administrative Tribunal and involuntary detention under the Mental Health Act 2014.  This work led her to read for a Master of Bioethics, which she completed in 2021.