Ian McLaren

Ian Francis McLaren OBE (30 March 1912 – 17 April 2000) was an Australian politician.

He was born at Launceston in Tasmania to draper Alexander Morrison McLaren and Elsie Elizabeth Gibbins. He attended Caulfield Grammar School and then the University of Melbourne, becoming an accountant. In 1938 he embarked on a world tour, returning in 1939. He served in the Royal Australian Navy from 1942 to 1945 and returned to become a partner in the accountancy firm Harris & McLaren. On 16 April 1941 he married Eileen Porter, with whom he had four children. From 1945 to 1947 he was the independent member for Glen Iris in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. Following his defeat he joined the Liberal Party, and served on Malvern City Council from 1951 to 1953. From 1957 to 1963 he was national president of the YMCA, and he served as world vice-president from 1961 to 1969; he was also awarded the OBE in 1959. In 1965 he returned to the Legislative Assembly as the Liberal member for Caulfield, changing seats to Bennettswood in 1967. From 1973 he was Deputy Speaker. McLaren retired from politics in 1979, and died in 2000.