Macdonald was born in Quirindi, New South Wales and was educated at Sydney University, where he graduated in law.
Macdonald was the third Senate candidate for the Coalition at the 1998 federal election but narrowly lost his seat to Aden Ridgeway of the Australian Democrats.
[2] Windsor was re-elected and, in November 2004, speaking under parliamentary privilege, said that National Party leader John Anderson and Macdonald had made the offer through an intermediary, Tamworth businessman Greg McGuire.
Windsor also claimed that the AFP had referred the matter to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions for determination.
[2][6] In October 2006, Macdonald refused a National Party endorsement[7] on the joint senate ticket for the forthcoming 2007 Australian federal election.