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Darren Chester
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Darren Chester
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 Defence from 21 September 2015; and between 18 February 2016 and 20 December 2017, Chester served as the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport following a rearrangement in the First Turnbull Ministry. He briefly served in the Second Turnbull Ministry as the acting Minister for Regional Development and as the acting Minister for Local Government and Territories between October and December 2017, following the resignation of Fiona Nash.
Chester was viewed as a potential candidate to replace Barnaby Joyce as National Party leader in February 2018; however he chose not to contest the leadership.
Chester was born in Sale, Victoria, the son of a plumber, and was one of five children.
Prior to entering federal politics, he worked as a newspaper and television journalist throughout Gippsland and was chief of staff to Peter Ryan, the leader of the Nationals in the Victorian state parliament.[citation needed]
Chester contested Gippsland East as the National Party candidate at the 2002 Victorian state election, losing to independent Craig Ingram. In 2004, he unsuccessfully stood for National Party preselection for the Senate position held by Julian McGauran. McGauran retained his party endorsement and was re-elected later that year, only to defect to the Liberals in 2006.
Chester was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2008 by-election caused by the resignation of Peter McGauran, and re-elected at the 2010 and 2013 elections.
He was appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Regional Transport in September 2010; and appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence in September 2013.
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Darren Chester
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 Defence from 21 September 2015; and between 18 February 2016 and 20 December 2017, Chester served as the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport following a rearrangement in the First Turnbull Ministry. He briefly served in the Second Turnbull Ministry as the acting Minister for Regional Development and as the acting Minister for Local Government and Territories between October and December 2017, following the resignation of Fiona Nash.
Chester was viewed as a potential candidate to replace Barnaby Joyce as National Party leader in February 2018; however he chose not to contest the leadership.
Chester was born in Sale, Victoria, the son of a plumber, and was one of five children.
Prior to entering federal politics, he worked as a newspaper and television journalist throughout Gippsland and was chief of staff to Peter Ryan, the leader of the Nationals in the Victorian state parliament.[citation needed]
Chester contested Gippsland East as the National Party candidate at the 2002 Victorian state election, losing to independent Craig Ingram. In 2004, he unsuccessfully stood for National Party preselection for the Senate position held by Julian McGauran. McGauran retained his party endorsement and was re-elected later that year, only to defect to the Liberals in 2006.
Chester was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2008 by-election caused by the resignation of Peter McGauran, and re-elected at the 2010 and 2013 elections.
He was appointed Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Regional Transport in September 2010; and appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence in September 2013.
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