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David Van

David Allan Van (born 14 November 1964) is an former politician who served as a Senator for from 2019 to 2025. Elected initially with the , he resigned from the party in 2023 amid internal disputes and continued his term as an until defeat at the 2025 federal election. Prior to entering parliament, Van built a career in public affairs, serving as CEO and principal advisor of a consultancy firm that guided clients through , anti-corruption inquiries, and commercial litigation, and as Head of Public Affairs at the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority during the HIH Royal Commission. In the Senate, Van specialized in defence, , , , and , chairing a select inquiry into energy regulation and planning that yielded policy recommendations, and participating in the Joint Standing Committee on , Defence and as well as multiple parliamentary friendship groups. He distinguished himself through vocal support for amid Russia's 2022 invasion, defying official travel warnings to visit frontline units, where he directly observed and reported on the protective capabilities of -donated armoured vehicles in saving lives during combat operations. These visits, including one funded by a manufacturer previously awarded defence contracts, attracted criticism for breaching protocols and raising conflict-of-interest concerns. Van's tenure also involved scrutiny over alleged misuse of parliamentary resources for personal and business purposes, contributing to his controversial profile within politics.

Early life

Family background and upbringing

David Van was born on 14 November 1964 in , . He was raised in Melbourne's bayside suburbs. Van's parents, Allan and Pam Van, operated a that grew into a successful enterprise, instilling in him core values of hard work, discipline, and . He grew up with three sisters—Kristine, Lisa, and Madeleine—in what he described as an ideal family environment abundant in love, albeit without financial privilege. In his to the on 10 2019, Van paid tribute to these "wonderful women" in his life and expressed a wish that every child could enjoy a similar upbringing.

Pre-political career

Public affairs and consulting roles

Prior to entering politics, David Van served as a public affairs consultant from 1995 to 2019. In this capacity, he provided strategic advice to clients on government relations, , and regulatory matters. From November 2003 to June 2019, Van held the position of and Managing Director of The De Wintern Group, a and public affairs firm based in , . The firm assisted corporate and institutional clients with , crisis communications, advocacy, and navigation of government inquiries. Van's consultancy work included advising clients through four Royal Commissions, where he emphasized strategies to enhance and restore public trust in affected sectors. His expertise extended to , supported by a from the Australian Investor Relations Association. These roles positioned him as a key advisor on intergovernmental and challenges prior to his parliamentary service.

Political career

Involvement in the Liberal Party

David Van engaged in grassroots organizational roles within the Victorian division of the prior to his 2019 Senate candidacy. He served as Chairman of the Albert Park State Electorate Conference from 2016 to 2018, overseeing local party activities in that area. In parallel, he acted as Vice-President of the Albert Park/ Branch from 2017 to 2019, contributing to branch governance and member engagement. Van advanced to Chairman of the Liberal Party Macnamara/Melbourne Ports Federal Electorate Conference from 2018 to 2019, a position focused on federal-level coordination in a electorate. He also worked as Branch Development Officer for the Liberal Party Macnamara, supporting the expansion and strengthening of local party structures amid competitive inner-city politics. These roles positioned him within the party's operational framework in , emphasizing membership growth and electoral preparation in moderate-leaning branches. His party involvement reflected a focus on administrative and developmental duties rather than high-profile factional leadership, aligning with the Liberal Party's decentralized branch model in . No public records indicate formal alignment with the state's moderate or conservative factions during this period. These efforts culminated in his for the ticket, leveraging local networks for the 2019 election.

2019 Senate election

David Van was preselected as the third candidate on the Liberal Party's Senate ticket for Victoria on 16 March 2019, behind James Paterson and Jane Hume. His placement was considered unlikely to secure election, given the expected allocation of two or three seats to the Coalition in the state's half-Senate contest. The 2019 federal election occurred on 18 May 2019, with Victoria electing six senators via single transferable vote proportional representation. The Liberal/National Coalition ticket received 1,158,800 first-preference votes, or 33.1% of the total, sufficient for three quotas after preferences. Paterson was elected first overall, followed by Labor's Gavin Marshall and Janet Rice of the Greens; Hume took fourth, with Labor's Raff Ciccone fifth and Derryn Hinch sixth before Van's election in the final position via preference flows from minor parties and below-the-line votes. Van's unexpected success stemmed from a stronger-than-anticipated primary vote in , combined with favorable preference distributions that exceeded projections for a third seat. He was sworn in as a senator for a six-year term commencing 1 2019.

Parliamentary service and contributions

David Van served as a Senator for Victoria from 1 July 2019 until the conclusion of his term on 30 June 2025, initially representing the Liberal Party before resigning to sit as an independent in June 2023. During his tenure, he participated in various Senate committees, focusing on foreign affairs, defence, trade, and energy policy. He contributed to legislative scrutiny through speeches on bills such as the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill and provided additional comments on the Future Made in Australia Bill, advocating for refinements to enhance industrial policy effectiveness. Van held memberships in key committees, including the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee from August 2022 to June 2023, where he engaged in defence-related inquiries as part of the Defence Subcommittee. He also served on the Joint Statutory Committee on briefly in and contributed to the Selection of Bills Committee, influencing which legislation underwent detailed examination. Later, as an independent, he chaired the Select Committee on Energy Planning and Regulation in , established in 2024 to investigate national energy strategies, emissions reduction, and regulatory frameworks; the committee's final report in December 2024 recommended measures to improve and planning. In parliamentary debates and statements, Van emphasized and , particularly Australia's support for amid Russia's invasion. He delivered a Senate statement following a 2022 visit to , highlighting the global implications of the conflict and praising Australian-supplied protected mobility vehicles for their effectiveness on the frontline, based on direct observations with forces. Van advocated for increased international , publicly urging European nations like and to accelerate lethal support to , and promoted Australian defence exports such as Bushmasters during estimates hearings. His interventions often underscored the strategic importance of sovereign defence capabilities and Australia's alliances in the .

Political positions

Foreign policy and international relations

David Van has positioned himself as a strong advocate for Australia's alignment with Western allies in countering authoritarian regimes, particularly emphasizing support for amid Russia's 2022 . In a February 28, 2025, Senate speech, he argued that failure by to robustly aid would signal weakness to regarding , stating, "If does not stand up to Russia and , a clear message will be delivered to on the question of strategic ambiguity over ." He criticized the Australian Labor government's decision to close the embassy in , questioning the security rationale during Senate estimates and highlighting inconsistencies with maintained diplomatic presence in higher-risk areas. Van visited in August 2024, where he reaffirmed Australia's commitment to Kyiv's defense, drawing parallels between Russian aggression and potential Chinese actions in the . His interventions often linked European security to stability, reflecting a view that concessions to embolden . Throughout his tenure, he contributed to parliamentary discussions on , defense, and trade, leveraging his master's degree in to advocate for enhanced deterrence capabilities. On broader , Van raised concerns about foreign interference in domestic affairs, including during May 2024 Senate estimates where he probed potential external influences behind protests related to the conflict. He supported initiatives strengthening alliances like implicitly through his focus on defense procurement and unconventional deterrence strategies, though specific endorsements tied to acquisitions were not prominently detailed in his public statements. His positions consistently prioritized interests over accommodation of adversarial powers, as evidenced by repeated calls for vigilance against strategic rivals.

Defense and national security

![Bushmaster PMV in Ukraine](./assets/Bushmaster_PMV_Ukraine_AF_2022-07_cropped David Van has consistently advocated for enhanced Australian defense capabilities and stronger alliances to counter regional security threats. As a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee from August 2020, he contributed to oversight of national security policies, including scrutiny of military procurement and international engagements. In November 2024, Van delivered a speech opposing a Greens motion to terminate the security pact, emphasizing its critical role in equipping with nuclear-powered submarines to deter aggression, particularly from , amid deteriorating stability. He argued that abandoning AUKUS would undermine deterrence and signal weakness to adversaries, potentially inviting coercion or conflict, while highlighting the pact's economic benefits through domestic submarine industry development. Van has raised alarms about Australia's defense preparedness, questioning in a May 2024 address whether the nation is adequately equipped to meet strategic challenges, including capability gaps in land forces and the need for sovereign manufacturing. He supported motions for increased defense industry incentives, such as export loans, to foster in producing and other essential equipment vital for land defense. On global security, Van visited war-torn in August 2022, urging and to accelerate lethal aid deliveries to bolster Kyiv's defenses against , framing such support as aligned with Australia's interests in upholding and deterring authoritarian expansionism. He endorsed Australian contributions like vehicles to , viewing them as enhancing allied and indirectly strengthening deterrence against threats like those posed by or .

Domestic policy views

David Van's domestic policy positions centered primarily on energy and economic governance, reflecting a pragmatic approach to Australia's transition toward a net-zero emissions economy while emphasizing reliability, affordability, and fiscal discipline. As chair of a Senate inquiry into energy market planning and regulation, he advocated for reforms to enhance governance, accountability, and infrastructure coordination in the sector, arguing that outdated structures hindered effective low-carbon transitions. In a February 2025 speech, Van criticized the national energy system's shortcomings, including delays and cost overruns in projects like Snowy 2.0, attributing them to inadequate economic assessments and ignored opportunity costs in storage and renewables integration; he recommended an urgent independent review by the Productivity Commission to restore transparency and sustainability. His support for Paris Agreement commitments underscored a commitment to emissions reductions, but he stressed the core challenge of achieving an energy mix that is simultaneously reliable, low-cost, and low-emissions without compromising market signals. On broader economic matters, Van expressed concerns over mismanagement in initiatives, highlighting in a May 2023 opinion piece how government-backed projects often disregarded basic economic principles, leading to blowouts and inefficient . His parliamentary voting record aligned with market-oriented , as he generally opposed interventions such as gas caps, favoring free-market mechanisms to manage supply and costs. Similarly, he voted against reducing , indicating a stance against hasty de-subsidization amid ongoing reliability needs. In areas, Van's votes reflected resistance to expanded government roles in equity initiatives. He opposed measures to close socioeconomic gaps between and non-Indigenous Australians, decrease the through regulatory means, and increase university funding, consistent with a preference for limited fiscal expansion on such programs. On LGBTI issues, he voted almost always against enhancing legal protections, prioritizing traditional frameworks over broadened affirmative policies. Limited public statements addressed health, education, or directly, with his focus remaining on as intertwined with .

Post-Liberal phase

2023 resignation and independent status

On 17 June 2023, Senator David Van resigned his membership from the , becoming an independent senator for in the Australian . This followed his expulsion from the Liberal party room by Opposition Leader earlier that week, prompted by multiple public allegations of inappropriate conduct toward female parliamentarians. Van denied all allegations of wrongdoing, stating in his letter that he had been "deeply distressed and hurt" by the process and denied procedural fairness, including the opportunity to respond to claims made under . As an , Van continued to participate in Senate proceedings, focusing on his prior portfolio interests in , , and , though he took personal leave from shortly after the amid ongoing scrutiny. He maintained his seat until the 2025 federal election, during which he ran unsuccessfully as an . The highlighted tensions within the over handling internal misconduct claims, with Van criticizing the leadership's swift action as lacking .

2025 election defeat

Van contested re-election to the Senate for Victoria as an independent candidate in the Australian federal election on 3 May 2025. Despite retaining his seat as an independent following his June 2023 resignation from the Liberal Party, Van received minimal primary vote support, totaling approximately 4,000 votes or 0.1% of the statewide tally. This fell far short of the quota of 585,967 votes required for election in a field where the Liberal/National Coalition secured two seats, Labor two, and the Greens one. The defeat has been attributed by political analysts to the lingering impact of allegations that prompted his party exit, eroding voter confidence despite Van's denials of wrongdoing and claims of procedural unfairness in handling the accusations. Victoria's outcome saw no independents elected, with major parties consolidating their positions amid a total formal vote exceeding 4.5 million. Van's exclusion from the ticket further fragmented conservative votes, contributing to the party's loss of the third seat he had previously held.

Controversies

Sexual misconduct allegations

In November 2021, during Senate proceedings amid national scrutiny of workplace culture in Parliament House, Senator Jacqui Lambie alleged that David Van made growling and woofing noises resembling a dog while she delivered a speech, describing the behavior as mocking and disrespectful. Van denied the accusation, attributing any perceived sounds to a coughing fit or misunderstanding and emphasizing he held Lambie in high regard.

2021 claims

The 2021 incident involving Lambie formed part of broader allegations of unprofessional conduct in federal parliament, though it did not escalate to formal complaints or investigations specifically tied to . No evidence beyond Lambie's account was publicly presented, and Van maintained the claim was baseless.

2023 accusations

On June 14, 2023, Independent Senator publicly accused Van of sexually assaulting and harassing her during an encounter in 2021, stating in the that parliament was unsafe for women and detailing unwanted advances. Van immediately and categorically denied the claims, calling them false and politically motivated. Thorpe withdrew the allegations later that day, clarifying she had not intended to assert unproven matters under and expressing regret for any distress caused. The following day, June 15, 2023, former Liberal Senator accused Van of inappropriately squeezing her buttocks at a social event in a parliamentary office in late 2020, describing it as unwelcome physical contact. Van rejected this accusation as untrue, stating he had no recollection of such an interaction and had always behaved professionally. These 2023 claims prompted swift political repercussions: leader removed Van from the party room on June 15, and Van resigned from the on June 17, opting to serve as an independent until his defeat in the 2025 election. No police investigations or charges resulted from any of the allegations, which remained uncorroborated beyond the accusers' statements.

2021 claims

In 2021, independent Senator Lidia Thorpe alleged that Liberal Senator David Van harassed her and inappropriately touched her in a parliamentary stairwell. The incident was described by Thorpe as part of a pattern of uncomfortable interactions, though specific details beyond the touching and harassment were not publicly elaborated at the time. These claims surfaced publicly on June 14, 2023, when named under during a speech addressing broader issues of in . immediately and categorically denied the allegations, stating they were unfounded and that he had never engaged in such behavior. Thorpe withdrew the specific claims against Van later that evening, citing a desire to avoid further politicization, but maintained that her experiences of in were real and indicative of systemic issues. No formal investigation or charges resulted from the allegation, and Van continued to reject it as part of what he described as amid the heightened scrutiny following the 2021 Parliament House inquiries.

2023 accusations

In June 2023, Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe accused David Van of sexually assaulting and harassing her, making the claims under parliamentary privilege during a Senate session on June 14. Thorpe later withdrew the remarks that evening after being ordered to by the Senate president, stating she lacked sufficient evidence to substantiate them in a formal setting, though she maintained broader concerns about parliamentary safety. Van categorically denied the allegations, describing them as "entirely false" and politically motivated. The following day, June 15, former Senator publicly accused Van of inappropriately touching her by squeezing her buttocks during a social gathering in a parliamentary office in late 2020; Stoker stated she had reported the incident informally at the time but chose to speak out amid the escalating scrutiny. This marked at least the third such claim against Van, including prior reports of unwanted advances toward other female parliamentarians. Van rejected Stoker's account, insisting no such contact occurred and emphasizing his respect for colleagues. Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton suspended Van from the party room on June 15 and demanded his resignation from the , citing the accumulating allegations as incompatible with party standards. Van resigned from the on June 17 but retained his seat as an independent, vowing to continue representing while cooperating with any formal inquiries; no criminal charges were filed, and the allegations remained unadjudicated in court. Van attributed the timing of the disclosures to internal party politics amid leadership tensions, denying any pattern of misconduct.

Allegations of resource misuse

In December 2023, reports emerged alleging that Senator David Van misused taxpayer-funded parliamentary resources, including his official Instagram account and Senate email address, for personal flirtations and private business pursuits. Van, who maintained an Instagram presence branded with the "#senatorsixpack" hashtag featuring images of himself in athletic wear, reportedly used the platform to message women in a manner deemed flirtatious, addressing them as "babe," "hon," and "darling," and exchanging emojis with influencers. He allegedly solicited a cooking influencer with 21,000 followers to promote his account by commenting on a photo of him in shorts, and directed at least one woman to continue conversations via WhatsApp after she questioned his official page. Further claims involved Van's use of Senate letterhead and parliamentary for non-official matters, such as issuing threats to removalists over a $9,000 private debt in 2021 and emailing an army officer about restaurant recommendations. These 2021 correspondences were said to have been flagged to then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office. Separately, in June 2023, Van was accused of claiming over $8,000 in taxpayer reimbursements for accommodation in Queensland's Whitsundays region during a , coinciding with his participation in an all-expenses-paid voyage aboard a vessel. Van denied all allegations of impropriety, asserting that his communications were appropriate and refusing to respond directly to detailed queries, instead directing them to his lawyer. The reports, stemming from a joint investigation by Nine media outlets, prompted scrutiny over potential breaches of parliamentary standards, though no formal sanctions were detailed in subsequent coverage.

Responses to controversies

David Van has consistently denied all allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against him. In response to Senator Lidia Thorpe's June 14, , accusation in of and —made under —Van rejected the claims as an "abuse" of that privilege and called for a formal into the matter. Thorpe withdrew the allegation the following day, stating it was based on information from another senator that proved inaccurate. Regarding former Senator Amanda Stoker's June 15, , claim that Van squeezed her bottom twice during a 2020 social event in Parliament House, Van denied the incident occurred and described the timing of the accusations as politically motivated amid internal tensions. Opposition Leader responded to the allegations by expelling Van from the room on June 15, 2023, stating the party would not tolerate such behavior and prioritizing a safe workplace. Van resigned from the party two days later on June 17, 2023, but affirmed his intention to remain in the as an independent, vowing to "fight these allegations" and continue advocating for his constituents. He denied a reported third allegation of misconduct brought to Dutton's attention around the same time, emphasizing that no formal complaints had been substantiated through proper channels. In addressing claims of resource misuse, including reports in December 2023 that Van used his official account and for personal flirtations and potential private business promotion—such as messaging women and promoting fitness-related activities—Van maintained that his communications were within allowable bounds for constituent engagement and did not constitute misuse of taxpayer funds. No formal sanctions or investigations yielded confirmed breaches by late 2023, though the revelations contributed to ongoing scrutiny of his conduct as an senator until his defeat in the May 2025 election. Supporters, including some conservative commentators, argued the allegations against Van were exaggerated or selectively amplified due to his outspoken views on and immigration, contrasting with muted responses to similar claims against other parliamentarians.

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