McDonald was born in Brisbane.[2] Her father Don McDonald served as state and federal president of the National Party during the 1990s.[3][4] The family company MDH Pty Ltd was established by her paternal grandfather Jim McDonald in the 1940s and runs numerous cattle stations across Queensland, spanning over 38,000 square kilometres (15,000mi2) as of 2013.[5] Her maternal grandfather George Fisher was a prominent mining executive, while her aunt Judy Gamin was a Queensland state MP.[6]
In July 2018 McDonald won LNP preselection for the Senate.[3] She was elected to parliament at the 2019 federal election, to a term beginning on 1 July 2019, and sits in the Nationals partyroom. She serves on several Senate committees and is the chair of the rural and regional affairs and transport legislation committee.[2]
In January 2026, following a recall of parliament to vote on the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026, McDonald resigned from the shadow ministry after crossing the floor to vote against the bill.[14]
Political views
McDonald advocates the agricultural development of inland Australia. She has endorsed the assumptions of the Bradfield Scheme and supports the construction of the Hell's Gate Dam on the upper Burdekin River as well as the expansion of the existing Burdekin Dam.[3][15] In March 2019 The Australian described her as "avowedly pro-coal".[7]
McDonald is a single mother to three children. She moved to Townsville after her election to parliament, having previously lived in the Brisbane suburb of Clayfield.[7]
McDonald was diagnosed with COVID-19 in March 2020. She was only the third North Queenslander to contract the virus.[16] She described it as a "mild case" and said she was unsure how she became infected.[17]
