2017 SPEAKER PROFILES

 

The Hon Anthony Albanese MP

 

Anthony grew up in a public housing community in Camperdown and recognised early on the need to fight for social justice so that there was equal opportunity in society.
That is what led Anthony to joining the Australian Labor Party. He developed his political activity working for former prisoner of war and legendary Whitlam and Hawke Government Minister Tom Uren.

 

In 1996 Anthony was elected as the Member for Grayndler in Sydney’s inner west, where he has lived his entire life.
Following the election of the Federal Labor Government in November 2007 Anthony became the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Leader of the House of Representatives.

 

 

Anthony was named Infrastructure Minister of the Year for 2012 by London based publication Infrastructure Investor. In June 2013, he became Deputy Prime Minister, and also took on additional responsibility as Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. Anthony was re-elected the Member for Grayndler in 2013 and is now the Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, and the Shadow Minister for Tourism

 

 

 

The Hon Darren Chesterr MP

 

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

 

He was re-elected in 2010 and served as the Opposition’s Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Regional Transport as well as being an active member of various Parliamentary Committees until the most recent Federal election.

 

Following a successful campaign in 2013 and the introduction of the Abbott-Truss Government, he was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence.

 

Darren continued as the Assistant Minister for Defence under the new Turnbull Government and in February 2016, was appointed to Cabinet as the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.

Darren, aged 46, was born and educated in Sale and now lives in Lakes Entrance with his wife Julie and their four children.

 

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