Editing Natasha Stott Despoja (section)

===Post-leadership===
Stott Despoja remained active in the Senate and the Democrats after resigning as leader. The party's fortunes continued to decline under new leader Andrew Bartlett. In the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 election]] they failed to elect any senators, leaving only the four elected in 2001: Stott Despoja, Bartlett, Lyn Allison, and Andrew Murray.

In 2004, Stott Despoja took 11 weeks' leave from the Senate following the birth of her first child. She returned to full duties as spokesperson for Higher Education, Science and Biotechnology, Women, Privacy, Territories and Local Government, and Work and Family.<ref name="APH"/>

During her career, Stott Despoja introduced 24 [[Private member's bill|private member's bills]] on issues including paid maternity leave,<ref>{{cite news|last=Haxton|first=Nance|title=Democrats launch paid maternity leave scheme|url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2004/s1046153.htm|access-date=19 July 2013|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=16 February 2004|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402202856/http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2004/s1046153.htm|archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Preston|first=Mike|title=Paid maternity leave: is Australia ready?|url=http://www.smartcompany.com.au/politics/paid-maternity-leave-is-australia-ready.html|publisher=Smart Company|access-date=19 July 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413153558/http://www.smartcompany.com.au/politics/paid-maternity-leave-is-australia-ready.html|archive-date=13 April 2012}}</ref> the Republic,<ref>{{cite web|last=Holmes|first=Brenton|title=Tracking the push for an Australian republic|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BN/2012-2013/AustralianRepublic|publisher=Parliament of Australia website|access-date=19 July 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726025642/http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BN/2012-2013/AustralianRepublic|archive-date=26 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Kirk|first=Alexandra|title=Renewed push for Australian republic|url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1521012.htm|access-date=19 July 2013|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=1 December 2005|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402223527/http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1521012.htm|archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref> [[genetic privacy]],<ref>{{cite news|last=O'Brien|first=Kerry|title=Govt inquiry to examine genetic testing privacy issues|url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/stories/s161294.htm|access-date=19 July 2013|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=9 August 2000|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528075905/http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/stories/s161294.htm|archive-date=28 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Genetic Privacy and Non-discrimination Bill 1998 [2008]|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=s156|publisher=Parliament of Australia website|access-date=19 July 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803160456/http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=s156|archive-date=3 August 2013}}</ref> stem cells,<ref>{{cite news|last=Kirk|first=Alexandra|title=Stott Despoja proposes Private Members Bill on stem cell research|url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1709725.htm|access-date=19 July 2013|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=8 August 2006|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528010728/http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1709725.htm|archive-date=28 May 2014}}</ref> captioning,<ref>{{cite web|last=Lloyd|first=Karen|title=Deaf Australia applauds investigation into access to electronic media|url=http://www.deafau.org.au/info/media27.php|publisher=Deaf Australia Inc|access-date=19 July 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428142108/http://www.deafau.org.au/info/media27.php|archive-date=28 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Captioning for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=s155|publisher=Parliament of Australia website|access-date=19 July 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803154401/http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=s155|archive-date=3 August 2013}}</ref> and same-sex marriage.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=s502 |title=Same-Sex Marriages Bill 2006 [2008&#93; |publisher=Parliament of Australia website |access-date=12 August 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228170754/http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=s502 |archive-date=28 February 2014  }}</ref> Stott Despoja regularly attends the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://andrewbartlett.com/?p=6545 |title=Senator Andrew Bartlett speaks about Sydney: Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras – Adjournment Speech |publisher=Andrewbartlett.com |date=4 April 2000 |access-date=12 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402210341/http://andrewbartlett.com/?p=6545 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 22 October 2006, after undergoing emergency surgery for an [[ectopic pregnancy]], she announced that she would not contest the [[2007 Australian federal election|2007 election]] and would leave office at the expiration of her term on 30 June 2008.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Stott Despoja to bow out of politics | date=22 October 2006 | access-date=22 October 2006 | work=[[ABC News (Australian TV channel)|ABC News]] | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1770646.htm | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080418232221/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1770646.htm | archive-date=18 April 2008 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> She was the Australian Democrats' longest-serving senator.<ref>{{cite news | title=So long, it's been good to see you | date=21 June 2008 | access-date=21 June 2008 | newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/so-long-its-been-good-to-see-you/2008/06/20/1213770924217.html?page=fullpage | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026105724/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/so-long-its-been-good-to-see-you/2008/06/20/1213770924217.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 | archive-date=26 October 2012 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> As in 2004, the Democrats elected no senators in 2007, and Stott Despoja's retirement coincided with the end of her party's federal parliamentary representation.