Hon Darren Chester MP

Darren Chester was elected to Federal Parliament as the Member for Gippsland on June 26, 2008, following the retirement of the Hon Peter McGauran.

He was re-elected in 2010, and again in 2013, when he was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence in the Abbott-Truss Government. He continued in that role under the Turnbull Government, until his appointment to Cabinet in February 2016 as the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. He also currently serves as Deputy Leader of the House.

He continues in these roles in the 46th Parliament.

Darren was born and educated in Sale and now lives in Lakes Entrance with his family. Prior to entering Federal Parliament, he worked as a newspaper and television journalist throughout Gippsland and then became Chief of Staff to the Leader of The Nationals in Victoria, Peter Ryan.

Darren is a former Chief Executive Officer of regional lobby group Champions of the Bush and served two terms as President of the Lakes Entrance Business Tourism Association (LEBTA), where he was heavily involved in tourism marketing and organising major events. He has led various community campaigns and has been actively involved in projects to improve the environment of the world-renowned Gippsland Lakes.