As a child, Hollie McLean’s first political act wasn’t on a stage or at a rally, it was a handwritten letter to her local priest. At nine years old, she questioned why girls couldn’t serve at the altar in her Catholic Church. “It wasn’t just a feminist, ‘why can’t I be an altar girl?’ it was about equality,” she says. This simple act of advocacy sparked a lifelong commitment of her using her voice to fight for change.
McLean is running as the 2025 Labor candidate in Lindsay for the federal election. She is a third-generation Penrith local, a working mum and is passionate about policy. She lives in Glenmore Park with her family, balancing motherhood, a fulltime job, her position at the Penrith City Council and now running in the federal election.
Politics has always been a topic that has struck interest for McLean. She recalls sitting at the dinner table when the Berlin Wall fell. Curious, she asked her parents what was happening. “They explained to me that whoever is in charge can have a huge impact.” Then during the 1990 election, a young McLean called into the ABC breakfast radio to discuss land rights, the economy and the recession. “I’ve always been interested in wrapping my head around what’s going on ever since I was that small,” she says.
McLean studied Political Science, French and Modern History at UNSW before completing a Graduate Diploma in Safety Science. Her career has spanned both government and business, including two years at Transport NSW where she led the transformation of branding across the states transport cluster. She now works at Quay Consulting as a change manager, helping organisations navigate complex systems and transitions.
In September 2024, McLean was elected as councillor for the Penrith South Ward with Penrith City Council. In this role she is focused on strengthening local her local community and ensuring their voices are heard. “What drives me is the idea that if you have the right people at the table with the right motivation, then the community gets the right outcome,” she says.
McLean’s top priorities in this campaign surround housing, education and healthcare. With her community at the forefront of her mind she continually wants to support them in any way she can. Her candidacy in Lindsay represents not just a new challenge but a natural next step in her community leadership. “My interest in politics isn’t an interest because I love the argy-bargy of politics,” she says.
“My passion for politics is because I believe if you have the right people at the table making decisions, then your community has all the benefit of that because the right people at the table will always take on balance the best thing for the community, not for themselves and not for any specific group, but broadly the community.”
On May 3rd, McLean will be up against current Liberal member Melissa McIntosh in office since 2019, but she remains optimistic and upbeat when hitting the streets with her campaign team.
“I love waking up on days like today, not a cloud in the sky and I am off to spend the day in our community just talking to people,” she says.
