Franca Smarrelli is the candidate for Fiona Patten’s Reason Party, formerly the Sex Party, in Northcote. Smarrelli declined the opportunity to be interviewed for this profile.

According to her LinkedIn profile Smarrelli is a, “commercially focused executive with over two decades of diverse experience within the arts, cultural and health sectors”. Smarrelli is currently the Managing Director of Skyhigh Promotions which offers promotional services for individuals, organisations and events in the performing arts.

Smarrelli has also worked with Orchestra Victoria, and as the CEO of the National Stroke Foundation between 1991 and 2000. She has been involved with a number of cultural and health organisations on a voluntary basis.

The Reason Party’s website highlights Smarrelli’s experience and states, “healthy communities are resilient at every level, and Franca believes that culture and cultural policy underpins this change. She will work hard to obtain fair and equal funding for this to occur.”

The party is seeking to expand upon its one upper house seat this election, promising to provide a non-partisan and evidence-based approach to politics. In the last parliament, Fiona Patten was credited for her work alongside the government and other parties on euthanasia and safe injecting rooms.

The party’s policies focus on progressive social issues such as drug reform and increased mental health spending, as well as an economic focus on small businesses: cutting taxes, removing “red tape” for businesses and advocating for advanced manufacturing.

In its submission of “How to Vote” cards to the Victorian Electoral Commission the Reason Party is suggesting voters preference Labor’s Kat Theophanous in third place, ahead of the incumbent Green Lidia Thorpe in fourth.