Jess Beckerling

Last updated

The Honourable
Jess Beckerling
MLC
Jess Beckerling Greens Profile.jpg
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
22 May 2025
Personal details
Born
Johannesburg, South Africa
Political party Greens (WA)
ResidenceWestern Australia
Alma mater Murdoch University
OccupationPolitician
Website Greens WA

Jessica Beckerling (born 1983) is an Australian politician [1] and environmental campaigner. A member of the Greens (WA), she was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council in 2025. [2] Beckerling has been instrumental in shaping environmental policy in Western Australia, particularly through her leadership in the campaign to end native forest logging.

Contents

Early life and education

Beckerling became involved in conservation work as a teenager, participating in forest blockades across the south-west of Western Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science from Murdoch University, with a focus on ecology and sustainability.

Environmental advocacy

WA Forest Alliance and grassroots activism

Beckerling served as Convenor and Campaign Director of the WA Forest Alliance (WAFA) for 13 years. [3] Under her leadership, WAFA played a central role in advocating for the protection of native forests, culminating in the WA Government’s decision to end native forest logging by January 2024. The campaign was recognised with the United Nations Association of Western Australia’s Environment Award in 2022.

Her grassroots approach, often involving community blockades and citizen action, helped to mobilise public support and elevate forest protection to a statewide policy issue.

Conservation Council of WA

In late 2023, Beckerling was appointed Executive Director of the Conservation Council of Western Australia (CCWA). [4] Upon stepping into the role, she emphasized the urgency of improving WA’s climate and environmental performance and committed to rebuilding a strong, collaborative environmental movement through CCWA.

Recognition

Beckerling has received several awards for her contributions to environmental protection:

State Parliament (2025–present)

Beckerling was elected to the Legislative Council in the 2025 state election, [2] representing the Greens (WA).

Following the election, Beckerling and three other Greens MLCs hold the balance of power in the Legislative Council, [8] significantly strengthening the party's influence on legislation.

In her inaugural speech on 17 June 2025, [9] Beckerling acknowledged the traditional custodians of the land, the Whadjuk Noongar people, and emphasized truth, treaty, and justice for First Nations communities. She also highlighted the need for genuine commitments to environmental protection and social justice.

Beckerling has actively engaged with her community on environmental issues, including opposing Alcoa's proposed expansion of bauxite mining in WA's jarrah forests, citing concerns over environmental degradation and the state's net-zero emissions goals. [10]

Political positions

Beckerling supports:

References

  1. ↑ "Legislative Council Results". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  2. 1 2 "State Elections | Western Australian Electoral Commission". www.elections.wa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 22 April 2025. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  3. ↑ forestadmin (16 March 2023). "Jess Beckerling inducted into the WA Women's Hall of Fame". WA Forest Alliance. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  4. ↑ "Jess Beckerling Executive Director". Conservation Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  5. ↑ "HERSTORY on RTRFM: Jess Beckerling". RTRFM. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  6. ↑ paul@bobbrown.org.au (1 July 2022). "Jess Beckerling". Bob Brown Foundation. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  7. ↑ "2023 INDUCTEE BIOGRAPHIES | WA Womens Hall Of Fame" . Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  8. ↑ "WA election 2025: Greens hold balance of power in Upper House". ABC News. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  9. ↑ "Jess Beckerling inaugural speech" (PDF). Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  10. ↑ "WA Alcoa expansion: Forest and water concerns". ABC News. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
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