• National Party Representative for Gippsland
• Minister for Defence Personnel (since 6 Feb 2020)
  Minister for Veterans' Affairs (since 6 Feb 2020)
  Deputy Leader of the House (since 5 Mar 2018)
• Entered House of Representatives on 28 June 2008 — Byelection
• Email me whenever Darren Chester speaks (no more than once per day)

• Voting record
• Numbers
• Register of Interests

How Darren Chester voted on key issues since 2006:

• Voted very strongly against same sex marriage. votes
• Voted very strongly against tobacco plain packaging. votes
• Voted very strongly against a carbon price. votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing scrutiny of asylum seeker management. votes
• Voted very strongly for government administered paid parental leave. votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing trade unions' powers in the workplace. votes
• Voted very strongly against the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. votes
• Voted moderately against implementing refugee and protection conventions. votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing competition in bulk wheat export. votes
• Voted very strongly for recognising local government in the Constitution. votes
• Voted very strongly for temporary protection visas. votes
• Voted very strongly for voluntary student union fees. votes
• Voted moderately for increasing or removing the debt limit. votes
• Voted strongly against a minerals resource rent tax . votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing protection of Australia's fresh water. votes
• Voted moderately against regional processing of asylum seekers. votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing marine conservation. votes
• Voted very strongly for unconventional gas mining. votes
• Voted very strongly against restricting foreign ownership. votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing investment in renewable energy. votes
• Voted very strongly for privatising government assets. votes
• Voted very strongly against more scrutiny of intelligence services & police. votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing Aboriginal land rights. votes
• Voted moderately against increasing funding for university education. votes
• Voted very strongly against decreasing the private health insurance rebate. votes
• Voted very strongly for increasing the price of subsidised medicine. votes
• Voted moderately against increasing the age pension. votes
• Voted very strongly for live animal exports. votes
• Voted very strongly against carbon farming. votes
• Voted very strongly for decreasing availability of welfare payments. votes
• Voted very strongly against re-approving/ re-registering agvet chemicals. votes
• Voted very strongly for the Intervention in the Northern Territory. votes
• Voted very strongly for an emissions reduction fund. votes
• Voted very strongly for increasing funding for road infrastructure. votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing restrictions on gambling. votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing fishing restrictions. votes
• Voted very strongly against encouraging Australian-based industry. votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing consumer protections. votes
• Voted very strongly against increasing public access to government data. votes
• Voted very strongly against an NBN (using fibre to the premises). votes
• Has never voted on decreasing ABC and SBS funding. votes

Read about how the voting record is decided.

More on their full record

• Never rebels against their party in this parliament.

Questions without Notice: Veterans (24 Jun 2021)

“I thank the member for Herbert for his question. I note also his record of military service, with deployments to both East Timor and Afghanistan. It is a rare privilege in this place to work in a portfolio that can make such a difference—a portfolio that actually saves people's lives. I've worked in partnership with my staff, with ex-service organisations and the Department of Veterans'...”

Bills: National Radioactive Waste Management Amendment (Site Specification, Community Fund and Other Measures) Bill 2020; Consideration of Senate Message (22 Jun 2021)

“I move: That the amendments be agreed to.”

Bills: Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2021-2022; Third Reading (22 Jun 2021)

“by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.”

More of Darren Chester's recent appearances

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Please note that numbers do not measure quality. Also, Representatives may do other things not currently covered by this site. (More about this)

• Has spoken in 27 debates in the last year — well below average amongst Representatives.
• People have made 15 comments on this Representative's speeches — well above average amongst Representatives.
• This Representative's speeches are understandable to an average 18–19 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score.
• 35 people are tracking whenever this Representative speaks — email me whenever Darren Chester speaks.
• Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 534 times in debates — above average amongst Representatives. (Why is this here?)

Darren Chester's latest interest statement