Rachel Payne is the Member for South-Eastern Metropolitan Region in Victorian Parliament’s Legislative Council. A member of Legalise Cannabis, Rachel was first elected to the upper house in 2022 when the party gained its first two seats in the Victorian parliament. Holding the balance of power from the Victorian crossbench, Rachel’s focus is on progressive cannabis law reform, harm minimisation and protecting the rights of cannabis consumers. Before politics, Rachel held executive, management, policy and research roles for organisations such as Eros Association, Family Court Australia and Centrelink. A longstanding advocate for women’s health, equality and inclusivity and proud member of the LGBTIQ+ community, Rachel is now driving a conversation around cannabis as a catalyst for new economic opportunities, environmental ingenuity and creation.