House of Representatives

Darren Chester

Member for Gippsland

The Nationals · NP

Federal parliamentary service18 years 4 month(s) and 1 days.Duration reported by the Parliamentary Handbook · 28 Oct 2026

Current ministry / shadow entries2Includes office-holder entries such as Cabinet membership; not a count of distinct policy areas.

Parliamentary service

First entered federal Parliament: 28 June 2008.

Service periods below follow the Handbook’s election and service boundaries. The source-reported duration above is shown separately from our interval calculation.

3 May 2025 – CurrentHouse of Representatives
Re-elected 2025
21 May 2022 – 3 May 2025House of Representatives
Re-elected 2022
18 May 2019 – 21 May 2022House of Representatives
Re-elected 2019
2 July 2016 – 18 May 2019House of Representatives
Re-elected 2016
7 Sept 2013 – 2 July 2016House of Representatives
Re-elected 2013
21 Aug 2010 – 7 Sept 2013House of Representatives
Re-elected 2010
28 June 2008 – 21 Aug 2010House of Representatives
Elected to the House of Representatives for Gippsland, Victoria at by-election 2008, vice the Hon. P McGauran (resigned).

Current responsibilities

Ministry and shadow ministry

Shadow Cabinet Minister17 Feb 2026 – CurrentTaylor Shadow Ministry
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry16 Mar 2026 – CurrentTaylor Shadow Ministry

Parliamentary and party offices

Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Nationals11 Mar 2026 – Current
Leader of the Nationals in the House16 Mar 2026 – Current

These are the Handbook’s dated appointments. Party spokespeople and committee memberships outside these records need their own source checks.

Background before Parliament

Qualifications recorded by Parliament

No qualification is listed in the imported record.

Occupations recorded by Parliament

Chief of Staff to P Ryan, MLA (Vic.) from 2004 to 2008.
Executive Officer of Champions of the Bush from 2002 to 2004.
Self-employed marketing consultant from 1998 to 2002.
Newspaper and television journalist from 1986 to 1998.

Appointment history

View 22 dated office and portfolio entries

Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry16 Mar 2026 – Current
Leader of the Nationals in the House16 Mar 2026 – Current
Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Nationals11 Mar 2026 – Current
Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs17 Feb 2026 – 16 Mar 2026
Shadow Cabinet Minister17 Feb 2026 – Current
Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs28 May 2025 – 21 Jan 2026
Shadow Minister for Regional Education4 Jan 2023 – 28 May 2025
Shadow Minister for Regional Development4 Jan 2023 – 28 May 2025
Shadow Minister for Local Government and Territories4 Jan 2023 – 28 May 2025
Member of the Speaker's Panel30 July 2021 – 11 Apr 2022
Cabinet Minister6 Feb 2020 – 2 July 2021
Cabinet Minister5 Mar 2018 – 28 Aug 2018
Minister for Veterans' Affairs5 Mar 2018 – 2 July 2021
Minister for Defence Personnel5 Mar 2018 – 2 July 2021
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC5 Mar 2018 – 29 May 2019
Deputy Leader of the House5 Mar 2018 – 2 July 2021
Cabinet Minister18 Feb 2016 – 20 Dec 2017
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport18 Feb 2016 – 20 Dec 2017
Deputy Leader of the House18 Feb 2016 – 20 Dec 2017
Assistant Minister for Defence21 Sept 2015 – 18 Feb 2016
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence18 Sept 2013 – 21 Sept 2015
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Regional Transport14 Sept 2010 – 18 Sept 2013

Reported parliamentary expenses

Summary verification pending

Reported office expenditure

April–June 2026 · 2026Q02

A matching record has been staged, but its official summary comparison is not complete. We are withholding the amount until that check passes.

No figure is shown. This does not mean zero spending, missing a declaration or wrongdoing. Salary, office expenditure and declared assets are different records.

Check IPEA’s official expenditure summary

A source match, reporting period and summary reconciliation are required before an amount appears here.

Public financial records

Statutory base salary

Shadow-ministry salary requires the current section 10 notice; other office additions may be overridden.

Party-size conditions, committee eligibility or office identity still need verification.

$239,270 AUD per year

Base rate effective 30 Aug 2026. This excludes role additions, allowances and personal tax circumstances.

Electorate allowance

$39,700–$57,100 AUD per financial year, depending on division area. The individual rate has not yet been matched to a verified area record.

Tribunal determination · sections 7–8

Checked 28 Oct 2026. Additional offices not matched above remain unverified. A base-only figure is not a verified total salary. Actual expense claims are separate records.

Salary rules Business resources and entitlements Reported parliamentary expenses House interests register

A salary rate, expense entitlement, reported office cost and declared asset are different records. Uncollected information is not a zero value.

Declared assets & interests

Property, investments, trusts and other declared interests are recorded separately from parliamentary salary and office spending.

Declaration details not yet transcribed

Use the official register and look for Darren Chester, Gippsland. This links to the chamber’s register, not an individually matched statement.

Open House Register of Members’ Interests

No declaration totals or asset values are inferred. An unavailable entry does not mean no interests.

Explore the assets & interests guide

Public websites & social accounts

Open Parliamentary Handbook

Representative website Instagram Facebook X

Accounts linked by the representative’s public website. Source evidence: 2026-10-27. Ownership review: 2026-10-27. These may include political or campaign communications.

Sources & portrait credit

Service, qualifications, occupations and appointments: Parliament of Australia, Parliamentary Handbook. Snapshot as of 28 Oct 2026.

A cleared portrait is not available yet. Initials are shown until an image is verified.