Born to a father of Indian heritage and an Australian mum, Dave’s family settled in Sydney in the 1970s.

At age 12 he lost his mother to breast cancer. He says “the beliefs I hold dear today – the importance of family, a belief in self-reliance, and a desire to help – stem from this time.”

Dave’s father instilled in him the value of education. Dave topped the state in the HSC with a TER of 100, before getting First Class Honours in Law from the University of Cambridge.

Driven by a sense of service, he became an Australian diplomat, working to help achieve peace in PNG and respond to the threat of terrorism in the USA. At age 37, he was appointed Australia’s Ambassador to Israel.

Dave has a proven ability to bring people together, solve problems and get things done.

He understands the importance of a stronger economy. He will support policies that encourage hard work and enterprise.

Dave lives in Sydney with his wife Rachel and their three young daughters.