Darren Chester
NAT Federal

Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs

Very Safe

19.36% Margin

Elected 2008

17 years

Member for Gippsland (VIC)

Federal - VIC

Darren was born in 1967 in Sale, Victoria. He grew up in Sale as one of five children where his father was a plumber. Darren attended Sale College.

Following his schooling, Darren worked as a newspaper and television journalist within Gippsland from 1986 to 1998. In 1998, he established his own marketing consultancy firm – which he acted as managing director at until 2002. Darren served as Chief of Staff to the Leader of The Nationals in Victoria, Peter Ryan, between 2004 and 2008. He is ...

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Portfolios

  • Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs

Committees

  • Nuclear Energy
  • Privileges and Members' Interests
  • Electoral Matters
  • Parliamentary Standards

Key Staff

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First Speech in Parliament

26 August 2008

# Community Support # Education and Youth Engagement # Environmental Conservation

Personal Background and Values

  • Born in Gippsland, raised in a loving family with strong values of respect, hard work, and community contribution.
  • Influenced by parents and previous Gippsland representatives, emphasizing the importance of service and grassroots representation.

Policy Focus Areas

  • Prioritizing the needs and interests of Gippslanders, addressing challenges like climate change, cost of living, and infrastructure investment.
  • Committed to social equity, focusing on support for disadvantaged groups, especially older Australians and Indigenous communities.
  • Advocating for better health and educational services, particularly for children with disabilities and improving access to resources for young people.

Future Agenda and Goals

  • Promoting economic growth through tourism and agriculture while ensuring environmental sustainability.
  • Supporting local businesses and industries, especially in resource management and renewable energy initiatives.
  • Encouraging decentralization of government services to better serve regional communities and invest in local education and skills development.

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FAQ

Darren Chester represents the electorate of Gippsland (VIC) in the Australian Parliament.

Darren Chester is a member of the The Nationals.

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Media Releases

LOCAL SPORTING CHAMPIONS ROUND TWO NOW OPEN

Media Release • 31 July

Government Grants

AI Summary

  • Darren Chester encourages young Gippslanders aged 12-18 to apply for grants to support their sports travel costs.
  • The Local Sporting Champions program offers grants between $500 and $750 for state, national, and international events.
  • Applications for Round Two close at midnight on October 31, 2023.
  • The program aims to alleviate financial barriers for aspiring young athletes.

NEW ALL ABILITIES COMMUNITY GARDEN FOR MAFFRA

Media Release • 30 July

Health Mental Health

AI Summary

  • Maffra to receive $20,000 funding for the GGC Garden of Inclusion.
  • Garden will feature wheelchair-accessible beds, sensory plantings, and shaded seating.
  • Workshops will be held to support mental health and skill-building for people of varying abilities.

In Parliament

STATEMENTS

Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 Per Cent) Bill 2025

Australian Federal Parliament • House of Reps • 29 July

Education Tertiary Education

AI Summary

  • The Universities Accord Bill 2025 aims to reduce student debt by 20%.
  • This legislation seeks to address the financial burden on students pursuing higher education.
  • The bill is part of broader reforms to improve accessibility and affordability of university education.

GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH

Address-in-Reply

Australian Federal Parliament • House of Reps • 28 July

AI Summary

  • The Governor-General's speech outlines the government's commitment to economic recovery post-pandemic.
  • Emphasis on social welfare initiatives to support vulnerable communities.
  • Focus on environmental sustainability and climate change action.
  • The speech reflects on national unity and resilience during challenging times.
  • Calls for bipartisan cooperation to address pressing issues.

Social Media

Posted on Facebook • 2 August 2025

Grey old welcome to Gippsland after back-to-back Parliamentary sitting weeks in Canberra. Good to be home! Have a great weekend everyone. #lovegippsland
Open Post

Posted on Facebook • 1 August 2025

Social Services

The Labor Party policy to cut student debts by 20% was promoted during the election campaign as a plan to “build a better and fairer education system” but it was industrial-scale vote buying which disproportionately benefited city families. The policy was dreamt up last November when Prime Minister Albanese was tanking in the polls… the Labor Party decided to spend $16 billion to buy votes rather than improve access to university for under-represented groups or invest in regional university campuses. Data from the Parliamentary Library indicates the average number of people who stood to benefit by the scheme in seats that were held by the Nationals in rural and regional Australia in the lead-up to the election was 13,384. However, in the seats held by the Greens in the city, which ...
Open Post

Posted on X • 7 July 2025

Veterans Affairs

Thanks to my ‘neighbours’ and Parliamentary colleagues Mary Aldred and Wayne Farnham for joining in the conversation as we work together to make sure veterans across our region have access to services if they ever need them.
Open Post

Posted on X • 7 July 2025

Good to welcome the incoming Victorian RSL State President, Dr Mark Schroffel, to Gippsland to discuss issues impacting veterans and their families. #lovegippsland
Open Post