Career
David served in the Australian Defence Force for over 22 years.
An Army pilot, he flew helicopters and fixed wing aircraft and was the Senior Flying Instructor at the School of Army Aviation in Queensland.
Graduating as an experimental test pilot from the Empire Test Pilots’ School (UK), he finished his full time career in Defence as the Commanding Officer of the RAAF Aircraft Research and Development Unit.
Elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Wakefield (SA) in 2004, he served in the Parliament until 2007.
David continued to fly as a test pilot and ran a small business working in the Defence and Aviation sectors prior to being elected to the Senate.
Parliamentary Roles
David is a Senator for South Australia.
His duties include:
- Deputy Government Whip in the Senate;
- Chair, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade;
- Joint Standing Committee on Treaties;
- Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security;
- Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade;
- Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs;
- Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations, Staffing and Security;
- Senate Standing Committee for Selection of Bills;
- He is also the Chair of the Coalition Backbench Legal Affairs Committee and is involved in policy work pertaining to aviation and rural health.
CPO Suite 4, Level 13, 100 King William Street,