Cassandra Fernando
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Cassandra Fernando | |
|---|---|
.png) Official portrait, 2023 | |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Holt | |
| Assumed office 21 May 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Anthony Byrne |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 September 1987 Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Party | Labor |
| Alma mater | Box Hill Institute |
| Occupation | Pastry cook Trade unionist |
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.[1]
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.[2]
Fernando worked at Woolworths in Dandenong Plaza for almost 15 years, including as a pastry chef.[3] She became a delegate to the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) and subsequently worked as an SDA organiser for five years.[2]
