About

Who is Dave Sharma?

Dave Sharma has represented New South Wales in the Senate since December 2023. Dave sits on the Senate Standing Committees on the Environment and Communications, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration, the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS),  the Joint Committee on Law Enforcement and the Senate Select Committee on the Impact of Climate Risk on Insurance Premiums and Availability. He represented the seat of Wentworth in the House of Representatives from 2019 to 2022.

Prior to Politics

Before entering politics, Dave was an Australian career diplomat. As a diplomat, he served overseas in Bougainville and Papua New Guinea, in Washington DC, and as Australia’s Ambassador to Israel from 2013 to2017. He also worked in senior national security roles in Canberra, including leading the International Division of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and as an adviser to then Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

Dave has also worked in the private sector, advising and assisting technology-oriented companies with their growth plans and serving as a company director and chair.

Early Years and Education

Dave was born in Canada to an Australian mother and Trinidadian-Indian father. He grew up in Sydney, attendingTurramurra High School, before going on to study Law at the University of Cambridge, where he graduated with first-class Honors. He also has a Master of Arts from Cambridge University and a Master of Arts from Deakin University.

“There are many other stories like mine throughout Australia. Many of these are more impressive and dramatic than my own. But my story, and all the other stories out there like it, would, I am quite certain, only be possible in Australia—in my own case, to go from being an immigrant to Australia of Indian background to an ambassador for Australia and now a member of our federal parliament within one generation"

- Dave Sharma

Personal Life

Dave has been married to his wife Rachel for almost twenty years. They have three daughters together.

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