Mark Pearson was elected to the Legislative Council on 28th March 2015. Prior to this he was Executive Director or President of Animal Liberation in Australia for 22 years, engaged full time via funds from the Christina Fitzsimons Trust, where the main focus was on farm animals – particularly factory farming, mulesing and live export. Other issues were the commercial slaughter of kangaroos and the well being of introduced wildlife. Before this he had been Team Leader of the Newcastle Community Mental Health Service in Newcastle and worked as a Clinical Acute Adult Psychiatric Nurse Specialist for 23 years. He is a classically trained bass-baritone and enjoys singing opera and Art Song aswell as much classical and eclectic music. He enjoys walking amongst and observing the majesty of nature even in its most rugged and inhospitable forms.
Inaugural speech, 6 May 2015