Cassandra Fernando

Cassandra Fernando (born 18 September 1987) is a Sri Lankan-born Australian politician and trade unionist who has served as the member of parliament (MP) for the Victorian division of Holt since 2022. She is a member of the Labor Party and the first Sri Lankan-born woman to be seated in the Australian parliament.

Early life Fernando was born in Sri Lanka and came to Australia with her parents in 1999 at the age of 11. She grew up in Dandenong North, Victoria, and holds a diploma in hospitality and a certificate in education support.

Fernando worked at Woolworths in Dandenong Plaza for almost 15 years, including as a pastry chef. She became a delegate to the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) and subsequently worked as an SDA organiser for five years.

Since July 2022 Fernando has served on the House of Representatives Standing Committee for Employment, Education and Training, the Standing Committee for Migration and the Parliamentary Library Committee.

Personal life Fernando lives in Narre Warren South. She is a member of the SDA, the Cranbourne Chamber of Commerce and the Cranbourne Historical Society.