Fighting for all Victorians.
Biography.
Senator David Van is an Independent Senator for Victoria. Elected to the Senate in 2019.
During his time in the Senate, David’s expertise on Defence, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Energy and Environment has been recognised.
David is a passionate advocate for Australia’s transition to a net zero economy with expert knowledge of Australia’s extremely complex energy system including energy markets, infrastructure and regulation. He chaired a comprehensive Senate inquiry into energy regulation and planning producing actionable policy recommendations to strengthen governance and accountability to improve energy transition outcomes.
Holding a Master of International Relations degree from Monash University he is an expert on foreign affairs having served on several parliamentary committees, including the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT). David is a regular commentator on current geo-political issues and geo-strategic risk as well as Australia’s defence strategy, capability and sovereign defence industry. He is currently undertaking a Master of Strategy and Security degree at UNSW at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).
David has represented Australia at several multilateral for a and on numerous bilateral delegations. A strong believer in parliamentary diplomacy he served as Chair of the Australian Parliamentary Friendship groups of Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Spain and the Pacific Islands. Senator Van fostered strong and mutually beneficial bilateral relations with friends and allies worldwide.
Prior to being elected to the Senate in 2019, David ran a public affairs consultancy for 15 years advising clients through four Royal Commissions, anticorruption inquiries and commercial litigations. (See Professional Background for more)
Born and raised in Melbourne’s bayside suburbs, David is a passionate Collingwood Football Club member and loves being in the great outdoors as evidenced in his years as a Ski Instructor post-Uni. David can often be found outside on the weekends diving, sailing, mountain and road cycling and of course skiing whenever possible.
Professional Background.
David Van brings over two decades professional experience prior to his political career, notably as CEO and Principal Advisor of a leading public affairs consultancy. He successfully guided clients across diverse sectors including mining, energy, infrastructure, finance, technology and public administration, delivering strategic counsel on complex issues involving regulatory frameworks, crisis management, capital market strategies and stakeholder engagement.
David also served as a trusted board advisor, providing governance oversight and strategic direction to private and publicly listed companies, particularly within the energy, infrastructure and defence sectors. He played a pivotal role advising prominent organisations navigating Royal Commissions, parliamentary inquiries and high-stakes litigation, demonstrating exceptional capability in managing reputation, compliance and regulatory risks. His strategic insights helped secure significant funding and policy outcomes through adept use of venture capital, private equity and targeted government support mechanisms.
Previously, as Head of Public Affairs at the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, he mapped, navigated and managed reputational risks during the HIH Royal Commission, reinforcing regulatory integrity and public confidence.
David’s distinguished professional history is marked by proven leadership, strategic acumen, innovation and a commitment to driving sustainable and impactful outcomes for both public and private sector entities.