Darren Chester
House of Representatives · The Nationals
Biography
Darren Jeffrey Chester (born 13 September 1967) is an Australian politician who is the deputy leader of the National Party of Australia. He has been the member of parliament (MP) for the Victorian division of Gippsland since 2008. Chester had served as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Defence Personnel between March 2018 and July 2021 in the Turnbull and Morrison governments. He was also Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC until May 2019. Chester served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence in the Abbott ministry from September 2013 to September 2015. In the Turnbull government he was appointed Assistant Minister for…
Adapted and shortened from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Date of birth
- 1967-09-13
- Place of birth
- Sale, Australia
- APH identifier
- IPZ
Political connections
First-degree, sourced relationships in the current snapshot.
- Ross Cadell · Shared party: The NationalsParliament of Australia (opens in a new tab)
- Jamie Chaffey · Shared party: The NationalsParliament of Australia (opens in a new tab)
- Michelle Landry · Shared party: The NationalsParliament of Australia (opens in a new tab)
- Matthew Canavan · Shared party: The NationalsParliament of Australia (opens in a new tab)
- Llew O'Brien · Shared party: The NationalsParliament of Australia (opens in a new tab)
- Bridget McKenzie · Shared party: The NationalsParliament of Australia (opens in a new tab)
- Pat Conaghan · Shared party: The NationalsParliament of Australia (opens in a new tab)
- Anne Webster · Shared party: The NationalsParliament of Australia (opens in a new tab)
Parliamentary and professional history
Current and senior roles
- 16 March 2026–presentShadow Minister — for — Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- 16 March 2026–presentLeader of the Nationals — in the — House
- 11 March 2026–presentDeputy Leader — of the — Federal Parliamentary Nationals
- 17 February 2026–16 March 2026Shadow Minister — for — Veterans' Affairs
- 17 February 2026–presentShadow Cabinet Minister
- 28 May 2025–21 January 2026Shadow Minister — for — Veterans' Affairs
- 4 January 2023–28 May 2025Shadow Minister — for — Regional Education
- 4 January 2023–28 May 2025Shadow Minister — for — Regional Development
Committee service
- 1 August 2022–4 August 2022Joint Statutory — Public Works
- 1 August 2022–presentJoint Standing — Electoral Matters
- 1 August 2022–presentHouse of Representatives Standing — Privileges and Members' Interests
- 11 March 2022–11 April 2022Joint Statutory — Public Accounts and Audit
- 11 March 2022–11 April 2022Joint Standing — National Disability Insurance Scheme
- 26 August 2021–25 March 2022Joint Select — Road Safety — Chair
Qualifications
No qualification is listed.
Occupations
- 1 January 2004–1 January 2008Chief of Staff to P Ryan, MLA (Vic.) from 2004 to 2008.
- 1 January 2002–1 January 2004Executive Officer of Champions of the Bush from 2002 to 2004.
- 1 January 1998–1 January 2002Self-employed marketing consultant from 1998 to 2002.
- 1 January 1986–1 January 1998Newspaper and television journalist from 1986 to 1998.
Current parliamentary service
- 2025 — PresentRe-elected 2025Source
- 2022 — 2025Re-elected 2022Source
- 2019 — 2022Re-elected 2019Source
- 2016 — 2019Re-elected 2016Source
- 2013 — 2016Re-elected 2013Source
- 2010 — 2013Re-elected 2010Source
- 2008 — 2010Elected to the House of Representatives for Gippsland, Victoria at by-election 2008, vice the Hon. P McGauran (resigned).Source