Biography

Senator the Hon Sandy MACDONALD

Senator the Hon. Sandy Macdonald lives in northern NSW where he is a wool and beef producer. A law graduate, Senator Macdonald, is married to Alice and has three children.

Senator Macdonald was elected to the Senate from NSW for the National Party in 1993 and spent his first six-year term based at Singleton in the Hunter. He now has his office in the home of Country Music at Tamworth, NSW. At the general election of November 2001 he was re-elected until June 2008.

Senator Macdonald has an interest in trade policy, foreign affairs and defence issues and was involved in the World Trade Organisation negotiations in Cancun, Mexico as part of the Australian Parliamentary delegation. He is a former Chair of the Senator Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee.

Senator Macdonald has also previously held the positions of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade where he assisted in promoting Australia’s exciting trade agenda both domestically and overseas, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence.

During his first term, Senator Macdonald was heavily involved in the native title and Wik debates (where he crossed the floor of the Senate in 1993 to support constituents who held pastoral leases), telecommunications, defence, and the wool industry. He also chaired the NSW Road “Black Spots” Consultative Committee.

Senator Macdonald is a keen sportsman and enjoys cricket, rugby union and horses.