Claire Chandler


Claire Chandler is an Australian politician who was elected as a Senator for Tasmania at the 2019 Australian federal election. She is a member of the Liberal Party.

Personal life

Chandler grew up in the Huon Valley and attended St Michael's Collegiate a Hobart private school for girls. Chandler studied Arts/Law at the University of Tasmania where her interest in politics was furthered. At university she was a member of the University of Tasmania Liberal Club where she met her future husband Chris Edwards. Chandler later joined the Young Liberals where she served as both the Tasmanian Division President, and Federal President.

Politics

Chandler led an internal review of the Tasmanian Division of the Liberal Party gender imbalance as Young Liberal President. Following the report Chandler described the party's engagement with women "sobering", however has rejected the idea of gender quotas as a solution to fix the divide.
Chandler stood as a candidate for the seat of Franklin at the 2018 Tasmanian state election. She was preselected in the second position on the Liberal Party's Senate ticket in Tasmania on 9 September 2018. She was elected to the Senate at the 2019 federal election to a term beginning on 1 July 2019.

Political positions

Chandler has been described as a conservative. Chandler is a supporter of the Liberal Party's conscience vote for elected members on euthanasia, but does not support any changes to the law as it currently stands in Tasmania.