Jaclyn Symes

Jaclyn Symes is an Australian politician. She is a Labor member of the Victorian Legislative Council, having represented Northern Victoria Region since 2014.

Symes worked for five years as a ministerial advisor for Rob Hulls, the Victorian Deputy Premier and Attorney-General. When the Labor Party lost government in 2010, Symes transferred to Hulls' electoral office. In 2011, she became pregnant and applied for maternity leave entitlements accrued during her employment with the Department of Premier and Cabinet, but was informed that as she was now employed by the Parliament of Victoria, she could not access the entitlement without dispensation from the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. The Speaker, Ken Smith, declined the request, and the matter was referred to the Fair Work Commission by the Community and Public Sector Union. Premier Ted Baillieu intervened and referred the matter to the Public Sector Standards Commissioner to resolve any inconsistencies in the government's employment policies.