By Zanita Careem ✍️
Cassandra Fernando made history in 2022 by becoming the first Sri Lankan-born member of Australia’s Federal Parliament. She was elected as the Australian Labour Party MP for the electorate of Holt in Victoria. Born in Colombo, Fernando migrated to Australia, with the family, in 1999, at the age of 11. Before entering politics, she worked as a Pastry Chef at Woolworth, became a trade union organiser and later entered public life through the Labour Party. Her victory was widely celebrated by the Sri Lankan diaspora as a milestone for representation in Australian politics. “I am proud to be the first Sri Lankan-born Federal Member of Parliament in Australia,’’ she says.
In a story that embodies resilience, determination and the promise of opportunity, Cassandra Fernando has etched her name into history as the first Sri Lankan-born person elected to theAustralia’s Parliament. Grounded in resilience, shaped by her Sri Lankan heritage, and driven by a passion for justice, Fernando has become a powerful advocate for working families, multicultural communication and equal opportunity. In this exclusive interview with ‘The Sunday Island’, she reflects on the challenges she overcame, the values that continue to guide her, leadership and her vision for creating more inclusive and compassionate Australia.
About Cassandra Fernando
My name is Cassandra Fernando and I am the first Sri Lankan-born Member of of the Austalian Labour Party and represent the Electoral Division of Holt, which covers the outer south-east suburbs of Melbourne.
I moved to Australia in 1999, at the age of 11, when my family settled in Dandenong North. I have lived, worked and grown up in Melbourne’s south-east ever since.
My first job was at Woolworths, at the age of 15, to help my parents pay my school fees. I spent more than 15 years working in supermarkets, baking bread, stacking shelves and making lifelong friends.
Trade unionism has always been lurking in my mind. When I joined the shop, namely Disributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA), on my very first day at Woolworths, a union organiser asked if I would like to represent my fellow workers. I accepted the opportunity and spent more than five years working as a union organiser. Later, in 2022, after the retirement of the long-serving Federal Member for Holt, Anthony Byrne, I was elected to the Australian Parliament, in 2022, and re elected in 2025 to serve as part of the Albanese Labour Government.
I’m a proud mum to my one-year-old son Llija, also a qualified pastry chef, and a proud Catholic.
Your journey from migrant worker to a Member of Parliament has inspired many. What motivated you to enter politics?
One of the defining turning points in my life came when I became actively involved in the trade union movement at my workplace. At that time, my knowledge of politics was fairly limited, but soon everything changed when I witnessed the challenges faced by workers and realised I would want to help create a fairer workplace. I became a union delegate and organiser and started campaigning for better pay and better welfare conditions This was the beginning After years of of advocating outside Parliament, I wanted to take that advocacy into Parliament where I could change or shape national policy
In 2007, our union’s magazine focused on the Howard Government’s WorkChoices industrial relations laws and how they threatened the rights and job security of workers like me. That was a crucial turning point. That experience inspired me to enter public service and eventually politics
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced before entering Parliament?
Growing up in Dandenong was a wonderful experience because it was one of Australia’s most multicultural communities. I was surrounded by people from every corner of the world.
Like many other families, we had to work incredibly hard to build a life in Australia. Parliament and politics were far beyond my imagination, but growing up watching TV, debates on challenging issues of workers such as wages, job security and workplace rights, inspired me to believe that ordinary people could make a difference. That inspiration stayed with me and eventually motivated me to enter politics, created a desire to give back and ensure others have the same opportunities like myself.
How has your Sri Lankan heritage influenced your values and leadership style?
My Sri Lankan heritage has shaped me to who I am in many ways. My parents made enormous sacrifices to give our family a better future in Australia, and I never forget their hard work and their profound influence on me. They instilled in me the importance of perseverance, gratitude and treating everyone with respect and dignity. These values continue to guide my work as a member of Parliament, where I am committed to advocating for working families, multi-cultural communities and creating opportunities for future generations. My Lankan heritage helped shaped my values of resilience, hard work and compassion.
My leadership style is built around listening first, working hard and treating everyone with respect. Whether I am at a meeting with local families, business owners or community groups, I always try to remain grounded and instilled the importance of perseverance, respect others and giving back policies. These qualities made me a stronger leader and gave me a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by multicultural communities.
What are your key priorities for your constituency, the Division of Holt?
My electorate covers Melbourne’s rapidly growing, outer south-east, where thousands of new families move into new housing estates every year.
Growth brings enormous opportunities, but it also creates pressure on infrastructure and services.
Road upgrades have been one of my major priorities. Since becoming the Federal Member for Holt. I have overseen the competition of the Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road upgrade. At the last Federal Election, I also secured commitments to upgrade key intersections at Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Thompsons Road and Pattersons Road.
Another major issue I want to address is to rectify the pure mobile reception in certain parts of Holt. I want to advocate better telecommunications facilities, infrastructure so that every resident have access to dependable mobile coverage and digital connectivity. Creating pathways for employment, training and opportunities for young people are aso some of my priorities. Holt also has a younger populations in Australia, with almost one in four residents under the age of 18. Ensuring young families have access to quality healthcare, education and community services remains one of my highest priorities.
What do your see as the biggest challenges facing multicultural communities in Australia today?
Major challenge is combatting discrimination and anti immigrant attitudes and building greater understanding and respect between coomunities. Many migrants also face difficulties having thier voices heard and ensuring thier cultures and contributions are recognised.
Australia has been one of the world’s great multicultural success stories, but like many countries we have seen a rise in populist anti-immigrant attitudes and activities remain a challenge, because they can create fear and a sense of exclusion within communities.
I believe in promoting respect, inclusion and understanding while ensuring every person regardless of their background feels valued and has an equal opportunity to contribute to Australia.
How do you balance the needs of local communities with national policy goals?
The best national policies are built by listening to local communities, first and then ensure the voices of residents are reflected in every aspect of life My job is to take the concerns I hear from families in Holt, whether it’s about roads, healthcare, cost of living or education, and ensure those voices are heard in Canberra. My focus is bringing local concerns to Parliament while working within national priorities to deliver positive outcomes for all.
As a woman in politics, what barriers have you encountered and how do you overcome them?
Politics has traditionally been a male-dominated profession and women often face greater scrutiny than men. One of the biggest battles I encountered in politics were breaking through glass ceilings and making my voice heard in challenging moments for the welfare of people. Like many others, I have faced sterreotypes, online abuses but I have overcome all these barriers by staying focused on my job, with the idea on why I entered politics to serve my community, build a strong support network, and work hard for my community and I always wanted my actions to speak louder than words. These prindiples, within me, refused to let stereotypes define my journey.
One of the challenges I faced was successfully balancing family responsibilities with the demands of public life. It was a journey of commitment and resilience. Becoming a mother, while building a political career, taught me the importance of time, priorities, and the need for having a strong support network. Family and leadership are not separate journeys but they can strenghten each other, My experience as a mother and migrant worker have shaped my understanding of the challenges faced by everyday families and influenced the way I represent my community and leadership of balancing the family. The reality is that thousands of women raise children, build careers, run businesses and contribute enormously to our community. Being a mother doesn’t make someone less capable of serving their community, it gives you another perspective on the issues families face.
I am incredibly proud to represent those women in Parliament and to be their voice. I hope that by serving as both a member of Parliament and a mum, it gives me a deeper understanding of the issues families face everyday,
How important is diversity in shaping modern Australian politics?
In a representative democracy, Parliament should reflect the people it serves.
Australia is one of the most multicultural countries in the world, so it is important that people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are represented in our national institutions. Diversity strengthens decision-making because people with different life experiences bring efficient perspectives to public policy.
What message would you share with migrants who dream of making a difference in their adopted country?
Australia is an amazing country full of opportunity for people who are prepared to work hard and contribute to their communities. My advice is to seize every opportunity that comes their way. One can start by getting involved locally. Volunteering at your sporting club, helping at their local food bank or become involved in community organisations can make leadership to take shape. Leadership often begins through service.
Do you maintain close ties with Sri Lanka, and how have those connections shaped your outlook?
Absolutely.
I am proud to serve as Chair of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for Sri Lanka, where I work closely with the Sri Lankan High Commission, community organisations and business leadership to strengthen the relationship between our two countries.
Remaining connected to my heritage reminds me of the importance of cultural identity while also highlighting the opportunities that exist when nations work together through education, trade, tourism and people-to-people relationships.
What opportunities do you see for stronger Australia-Sri Lanka relations?
Australia and Sri Lanka already enjoy strong relationship built on trade, education, development cooperation and shared interests in the Indo-Pacific.
Australia has supported economic reform, governance initiatives and skills development in Sri Lanka, while Australian investment in Sri Lanka’s eduction sector continues to grow.
Looking ahead, I see enormous opportunities to expand tourism between our countries, increase business investment and strengthen cooperation in technology, communications and education.
What legacy would you like to leave in public service?
At the end of my career, I hope people will simply be able to say that I improved the lives of working Australian families. I hope my legacy is one of compassion and opportunity. I want to inspire more women and young people from diverse backgrounds to believe in themselves and pursue leadership
What role can the Sri Lankan diaspora play in fostering cooperation between the two counties?
The Sri Lankan diaspora plays a vital role in building bridges between Australia and Sri Lanka.
Business partnerships, educational exchanges and cultural programmes often begin through personal relationships.
These people-to-person connections create trust, open new opportunities and strengthen coopertion in ways that governments alone cannot achieve.
What gives you hope for the future of politics of women?
I draw hope from seeing more women, particulary from diverse and multicultural background, stepping forward to take leadership roles. I believe representation matters because when women are part of decision they bring different experiences, perspectives and solutions to the table. I strongly believes the future of politics will be stronger when leadership reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.
What gives me hope is seeing more Australians from different backgrounds stepping forward to serve their communities.
I strongly believe that the future of politics in Australia we see the growing diversity of voices and the willingness of people to engage in shaping their future. This gives me confidence that democracy is becoming more inclusive.