Darren Chester
Darren Jeffrey Chester (born 13 September 1967) is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the House of Representatives for Gippsland in Victoria, representing the Nationals 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.
The Honourable Darren Chester | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Gippsland | |
| Assumed office 28 June 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Peter McGauran |
| Minister for Veterans' Affairs & Minister for Defence Personnel | |
| In office 5 March 2018 – 2 July 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Turnbull Scott Morrison |
| Preceded by | Michael McCormack |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Gee |
| Minister for Regional Development | |
| In office 27 October 2017 – 20 December 2017 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Turnbull |
| Preceded by | Fiona Nash |
| Succeeded by | John McVeigh (as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government) |
| Minister for Infrastructure and Transport | |
| In office 18 February 2016 – 20 December 2017 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Turnbull |
| Preceded by | Warren Truss (Infrastructure and Regional Development) |
| Succeeded by | Barnaby Joyce |
| Assistant Minister for Defence | |
| In office 21 September 2015 – 18 February 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Turnbull |
| Preceded by | Stuart Robert |
| Succeeded by | Michael McCormack |
| Minister for Local Government and Territories | |
| In office 27 July 2017 – 20 December 2017 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Turnbull |
| Preceded by | Fiona Nash |
| Succeeded by | John McVeigh (as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Darren Jeffrey Chester 13 September 1967 Sale, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | National |
| Occupation | Journalist and political advisor |
| Website | darrenchester |
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.