Maria Kovacic

Maria Kovacic (; born 1970) is an Australian politician. She is a Senator for New South Wales representing the Liberal Party, succeeding Jim Molan after his death.

She previously served as the President of the New South Wales Liberal Party.

Early life Kovacic was born in 1970 in Queanbeyan, New South Wales. Her parents were Bosnian Croats who immigrated to Australia from Yugoslavia after the Second World War. Her father was born in Turčinovići and her mother in Miši.

Kovacic grew up in Canberra. She was a director of the Franchise Council of Australia from 2020 to 2023 and was active in various community groups in Western Sydney.

President of the New South Wales Division (2022–2023) On 5 October 2022, Kovacic was elected President of the New South Wales division of the Liberal Party.

Senate (2023–present) Preselection Following the death of Jim Molan in 2023, the Liberal Party needed to fill a casual vacancy. The final two candidates, both from the party's Moderate faction, were Kovacic and Andrew Constance, a former New South Wales Cabinet minister who served as the member for Bega in the Legislative Assembly until his resignation in 2021.

On 3 July 2026, it was confirmed that Kovacic was elected to fill the position as Chief Opposition Whip in the Senate, commencing on 15 July, after Wendy Askew announced her retirement.

Kovacic won the support of most Moderates, as well as most of the Centre Right faction. The Right faction's only candidate was Jess Collins. The other candidates were James Brown, David Brady and Fiona Scott. According to Anthony Galloway writing for the Sydney Morning Herald, Constance made a deal with sections of the Right faction whereby he, if elected, would resign after 18 months to run as the party's candidate for the seat of Gilmore at the 2025 federal election for a second time, after he almost defeated the sitting Labor member (Fiona Phillips) at the 2022 federal election (bucking the national trend of swings against the Coalition). However, senior party sources found that many were unhappy with the idea of another resignation.

The vote was held at the Fullerton Hotel in Sydney on 27 May 2023. Kovacic was preselected, winning 287 votes to Constance's 243.

On 3 July 2026, it was confirmed that Kovacic was elected to fill the position as Chief Opposition Whip in the Senate, commencing on 15 July, following the retirement of Wendy Askew.

Political positions In her maiden speech to parliament Kovacic described herself as a "progressive liberal".