Sam McMahon

McMahon grew up on a farm in Nanango, Queensland. She completed a Bachelor of Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland.[3]

McMahon accepted a position in the Northern Territory after her graduation. She has owned and operated veterinary practices in Katherine,[4] 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.[3] She became a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 2003.[5] She won the Centenary Medal for business leadership in 2001,[6] was awarded the Australian Veterinary Association Meritorious Service Award in 2014,[7] and was awarded the NT Telstra small business award in 2017.[8]

In March 2019, McMahon won preselection to replace Nigel Scullion as the Country Liberal Party's lead Senate candidate at the 2019 federal election.[9] She was elected to a term beginning on 18 May 2019,[10] and sits with the National Party in federal parliament, as with her predecessor Scullion.[11]

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.[12] 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.[13]

McMahon lives on a farm outside of Katherine and is an avid water skier and horse rider.[3] In September 2019, McMahon announced that she had separated from her husband, Wayne Nayda.[14]