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Sam McMahon

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For another person, see Sam McMahon (footballer).

Sam McMahon
Senator for the Northern Territory
In office
18 May 2019 – 20 May 2022
Preceded byNigel Scullion
Succeeded byJacinta Nampijinpa Price
Personal details
Born (1967-12-11) 11 December 1967 (age 56)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyLiberal Democratic (since April 2022)
Other political
affiliations		Independent (January–April 2022)
Country Liberal/Nationals (until January 2022)
SpouseWayne Nayda
Alma materUniversity of Queensland
OccupationVeterinarian

Samantha Jane McMahon[1] (born 11 December 1967) is a former Australian politician who was a Senator for the Northern Territory between the 2019 federal election and the 2022 federal election. McMahon is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), having joined the party in April 2022, several months after resigning from the Country Liberal Party (CLP). While she was a CLP member, she sat in the Nationals party room in federal parliament. She was a veterinarian in Katherine before entering politics.[2]

Early life

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McMahon was born in Sydney on 11 December 1967.[3] She grew up on a farm in Nanango, Queensland. She completed a Bachelor of Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland.[4]

Career

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McMahon accepted a position in the Northern Territory after her graduation. She has owned and operated veterinary practices in Katherine,[5] Howard Springs, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek, and Alice Springs. She was a national director of the Australian Veterinary Association for five years and president of the Northern Territory division for two years.[4] She became a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 2003.[6] She won the Centenary Medal for business leadership in 2001,[7] was awarded the Australian Veterinary Association Meritorious Service Award in 2014,[8] and was awarded the NT Telstra small business award in 2017.[9]

Politics

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In March 2019, McMahon won preselection to replace Nigel Scullion as the Country Liberal Party's lead Senate candidate at the 2019 federal election.[10] She was elected to a term beginning on 18 May 2019,[11] and chose to sit with the National Party in federal parliament, following her predecessor.[12] In May 2021 she was appointed chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories.[3]

In June 2021, McMahon was defeated for CLP preselection at the 2022 federal election by Jacinta Price.[13] In the week leading up to the ballot, Nine Publishing reported that at least ten senators believed she had been visibly drunk while in the Senate chamber on 23 June. A spokesman stated that she was feeling "unwell" and that the allegations were part of a smear campaign to discredit her in the lead-up to the preselection.[14]

In December 2021 it was alleged that following a 'boozey' Christmas party McMahon was escorted from the premises to a waiting taxi, at which point McMahon physically assaulted Nationals federal director and event organiser Jonathan Hawkes. [15]

In January 2022, McMahon resigned from the Country Liberal Party and moved to the crossbench to sit as an independent.[16] She later explained in March 2022 that she resigned due to alleged abuse by former staffer Jason Riley.[17] On 8 April 2022, McMahon announced she had joined the Liberal Democrats, and would run on the party's Northern Territory Senate ticket at the May federal election.[18][19] The Liberal Democrats won approximately 9% of the vote in the Northern Territory Senate race, not enough for McMahon to retain her seat in the chamber.

Positions

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In January 2020, during the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season, McMahon tweeted that the Australian Greens' "ridiculous agenda" of opposing logging had "lead [sic] to these horrible fires". A Guardian Australia article published in the same month identified her as one of the "climate doubters" within the Coalition.[20] In March 2020, McMahon argued that a nuclear power plant should be built in northern Australia to lower emissions and improve the country's economy.[21]

In August 2021, McMahon announced she had drafted a bill to expand the legislative powers of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly and reduce the power of federal parliament to veto territory legislation. This would include a partial repeal of the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997, allowing the Legislative Assembly to legalise assisted suicide.[22]

In November 2021, McMahon was one of five Coalition senators who voted against the government in support of One Nation’s COVID-19 Vaccination Status (Prevention of Discrimination) Bill 2021.[23][24]

Personal life

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McMahon lives on a farm outside Katherine and is an avid water skier and horse rider.[4] In September 2019, McMahon announced that she had separated from her husband, Wayne Nayda.[25]

References

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  1. ^ "Qualification checklist" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  2. ^ "NT senator and former vet Sam McMahon unloads on activists at farm hearing". ABC Australia. 14 August 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Senator Sam McMahon". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Sam McMahon". Liberal Party of Australia. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  5. ^ "NT senator Sam McMahon urges students to apply for school scholarships". Katherine Times. 23 January 2020.
  6. ^ "list of FAICD graduates 2003". Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Centenary Medal Award 2001". Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  8. ^ "AVA Annual Report 2014" (PDF). Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Telstra Small Business Awards 2017 Winners". Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Nigel Scullion's replacement Sam McMahon 'not taking Senate seat for granted'". ABC News. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Senate Results". ABC News. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  12. ^ "Nationals women MPs defy 'blokey' party image". 24 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  13. ^ James, Felicity (26 June 2021). "Jacinta Price wins CLP preselection battle against sitting senator Sam McMahon". ABC News. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  14. ^ Gibson, Jano (24 June 2021). "NT Senator Sam McMahon's office says she was 'unwell' in Senate, not intoxicated". ABC News. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  15. ^ "Nationals senator accused of throwing punches at party director". Sky News. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Coalition senator Sam McMahon resigns from CLP, set to sit on crossbench". ABC News. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  17. ^ "NT senator Sam McMahon uses parliamentary privilege to accuse former staffer of 'abuse'". ABC News. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  18. ^ Aaron Bunch (8 April 2022). "NT senator McMahon joins Lib Democrats". Northern Beaches Review.
  19. ^ "NT politician Sam McMahon joins ex-Queensland premier's party to run for re-election". ABC News. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  20. ^ "'There is no link': the climate doubters within Scott Morrison's government". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  21. ^ Aikman, Amos (3 March 2020). "Senator Sam McMahon makes nuclear pitch to build powerhouse in the north".
  22. ^ Roberts, Lauren (4 August 2021). "CLP senator Sam McMahon drafts bill to allow NT to vote on voluntary euthanasia". ABC News. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  23. ^ "COVID-19 Vaccination Status (Prevention of Discrimination) Bill 2021".
  24. ^ "Scott Morrison faces Senate revolt over Pauline Hanson bill". news.com.au. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  25. ^ Maiden, Samantha (17 June 2020). "Text messages allege Senator was left bloodied and distressed after 2am altercation". news.com.au.
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