David and his wife Charlotte have three children: Isabelle, Oliver and Alice. David and Charlotte have raised their family on their farm in the Hastings Valley, where they have run grass-fed Angus.
David graduated MB BS from University of Sydney in 1981 and Fellow of Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP)in 1991.
As an undergraduate, he gained experience training both in Papua New Guinea and British Columbia.
David’s post graduate specialist training included stints at hospitals at Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo while based at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) in Sydney (1981-1982 and 1987-1990). David also gained two years of paediatric experience at Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children (RAHC) Camperdown (1983-84), St George Hospital (1991) and at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital (1992).
David obtained a Diploma of Anaesthetics (London) and Diploma of Child Health (UK) in 1986 after working in the UK NHS (1985-86).
In total David had 33 years of medical practice, including 21 years as specialist Gastroenterologist and Consultant Specialist Physician in Port Macquarie (1993 -2013).
David was active in Postgraduate Medical Training as Director of Physician training at Port Macquarie Base Hospital (1995 – 2009) and was instrumental in the Base Hospital achieving accreditation by Royal Australasian College of Physicians for Specialist Training and becoming a Centre for College Examinations.
David and Charlotte built, licensed and ran the Hastings Day Surgery in Port Macquarie for 12 years. David also lectured and tutored at UNSW Rural Medical School since its inception.
David uses his first-hand experience in public and privately managed health delivery and small business to ensure Australia’s health system delivers high quality cost-effective care in an affordable and fiscally sustainable manner.
David wants to see Australian business, particularly small business, released from unnecessary government red-tape and green-tape. David understands the complexity and pressures of primary production in Australia and works to ensure primary producers and processors receive equitable treatment by retailers under Australia’s consumer and competition laws.
You can watch David’s maiden speech here.
Since entering Parliament, David has served as a Minister and Committee Chair.
Minister for Regional Health from 2.7.2021
Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade & Investment 2.7.2021
Assistant Minister for Children and Families from 20.12.2017 to 28.8.2018.
Assistant Minister for Health from 24.1.2017 to 20.12.2017.
Assistant Minister for Rural Health from 19.7.2016 to 24.1.2017.
Joint Statutory: Human Rights from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Public Accounts and Audit from 22.10.2015 to 9.5.2016; Public Accounts and Audit from 4.7.2019.
Joint Standing: National Disability Insurance Scheme from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016.
House of Representatives Standing: Health from 9.9.2015 to 9.5.2016; Privileges and Members' Interests from 24.2.2016 to 9.5.2016; Agriculture and Water Resources from 10.9.2018 to 11.4.2019; Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources from 10.9.2018 to 11.4.2019; Environment and Energy from 12.2.2019 (Chair from 12.2.2019 to 11.4.2019); Communications and the Arts from 4.7.2019 (Chair from 24.7.2019).
House of Representatives Select: Regional Australia from 10.6.2020.
