Nick McGowan

Nicholas McGowan is an Australian politician. He is a member of the Victorian Legislative Council representing the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region since November 2022. McGowan is a member of the Liberal Party. He has served as the Shadow Minister for Community Services and Shadow Minister for Victim Support since 11 October 2025.

Early life and education McGowan was born in Ivanhoe, Victoria, and raised by his single mother alongside his brother. His early life was marked by financial challenges and frequent relocations, as his mother worked various jobs including warehouse work, community based childcare, and clerical duties to support the family. They lived in several locations, including Ballarat, Eltham, and Werribee, where McGowan attended Galvin Park Secondary College (now Wyndham Central College). At the age of 12, he began contributing to the household income by taking on small jobs in his neighborhood.

Upon returning to Australia in 2016, McGowan was appointed by the Minister for Immigration to the Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal. He applied his knowledge and understanding of migration, humanitarian affairs, protection, human rights, and international law in these roles, serving for eight years before standing for election.

From August 2022, McGowan was again the chief of staff of Matthew Guy, when Guy was the Opposition Leader, in the lead-up to the 2022 election.

Political positions Australian republic McGowan supports Australia becoming a republic, arguing that the monarchy represents the nation’s past rather than its future and that Australia’s head of state should be an Australian. He has framed republicanism as a logical next step in Australia’s gradual move toward full independence, stating that the current constitutional arrangement prevents Australians from holding the highest office in the country.