senator David Van Contact information

David Van was born on November 14, 1964, in Australia. He is a member of the Liberal Party of Australia and serves as a Senator for Victoria in the Australian Senate since July 2019. Van completed his undergraduate degree in horticulture, during which he studied the regeneration of Australian bush post the Ash Wednesday fires in the Blackwood forest that was burned as part of the Trentham East fire complex.

Before entering politics, Van served as the managing director of the De Wintern Group, a public relations firm in South Melbourne, since 2003. He also served as a board director of the Australian Association of Franchisees and co-convenor of Friends of St Kilda Hill, a neighbourhood group that was vocal about crime and safety issues. Van holds a Masters degree in International Relations from Monash University.

In 2019, Van was elected to the Senate from the marginal third position on the Liberal ticket. He was appointed as a “patron” for the Labor-held House seat of Dunkley. During his first speech in September 2019, Van spoke about his belief in the “dignity of work” and supported the coalition government’s welfare policies. He also advocated for free markets, freedom of speech, and getting government out of people’s lives as much as possible.

Van has worked on several national projects, including ensuring the proper maintenance of the 310 St Kilda Rd project, after questioning the Department of Defence on the state of disrepair at the site. He has also advocated for the LAND 8116 self-propelled artillery project contract to be awarded to Hanwha, who would build 30 self-propelled howitzers and 15 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles for the army in Geelong, Victoria. In February 2021, Van called for an independent review into ABC complaints.

Van is a member of several committees, including the Joint Standing Committees for Trade & Investment Growth and Treaties, as well as the Senate Select Committee for Foreign Interference through Social Media, the Senate Committee on Environment & Communication, and Legal & Constitutional Affairs. He is a member of the centre-right faction of the Liberal Party.

Van is also the Chair of the Parliamentary friends of Ukraine and has been a proponent for providing support to Ukraine, regularly raising Ukraine’s need for Australian support and the geopolitical impact of the war in Parliament, and attending several rallies with the Ukrainian community.

In November 2021, then Prime Minister Scott Morrison expressed disappointment after claims that Van made “growling and dog noises” at Senator Jacqui Lambie during Senate Question Time, on the same day as the Sex Discrimination Commissioner released a report into harassment and workplace culture at Parliament House. Van later “apologised unreservedly” for interjecting but denied making “growling noises”.