Darren Cheeseman

Darren Cheeseman
Member of the Victorian Parliament
for South Barwon
Assumed office
24 November 2018
Preceded byAndrew Katos
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Corangamite
In office
24 November 2007 – 7 September 2013
Preceded byStewart McArthur
Succeeded bySarah Henderson
Personal details
Born (1976-06-08) 8 June 1976 (age 48)
Christchurch, New Zealand
NationalityAustralian
Political partyIndependent (since 2024; parliamentary affiliation)
Other political
affiliations
Labor[a]
Alma materUniversity of Ballarat
OccupationUnion organiser
Websitewww.darrencheeseman.org.au

Darren Leicester Cheeseman (born 8 June 1976[citation needed]) is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since November 2018, representing the seat of South Barwon. He previously held the federal seat of Corangamite from 2007 to 2013.[2]

Cheeseman was born in Christchurch, New Zealand.[3] He grew up in Ballarat and attended Mount Clear College. He later studied for a Bachelor of Applied Science in Geology at the University of Ballarat. He worked for the Association for the Blind, and during that time also served as a councillor for the City of Ballarat. He later worked for the Community and Public Sector Union.[4]

In 2006, Cheeseman contested Labor preselection for Corangamite against the Labor candidate at the 2004 election, former Geelong mayor Peter McMullin.[2] Having secured preselection, he went on to defeat long-time Liberal incumbent Stewart McArthur with a 6.6% swing. McArthur had held the seat since 1984. Cheeseman attributed his win to opposition to WorkChoices, the Liberal government's industrial relations laws.[5] Cheeseman was only the third Labor member ever to win Corangamite, and the first since 1929.[2] He narrowly held Corangamite at the 2010 election, against Liberal candidate Sarah Henderson, becoming the first Labor member to win a second term in the seat. However, he was defeated by Henderson at the 2013 federal election.

In 2018, Cheeseman was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the Labor member for South Barwon.[6] in 2022, Cheeseman was re-elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the Labor Member for South Barwon.

In 2024, Cheeseman was asked to resign from the Labor Party after allegations of misconduct.[7]

  1. ^ Kolovos, Benita (30 April 2024). "Jacinta Allan dumps Victorian Labor MP from caucus after fresh allegations emerge". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 May 2024. Allan said it was a matter for the wider Labor party whether to remove him as a member.
  2. ^ a b c Whalley, Jeff, Ballarat man Darren Cheeseman breaks 70-year hoodoo in Corangamite Archived 11 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine, 26 November 2007, Geelong Advertiser
  3. ^ "Mr Darren Cheeseman MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  4. ^ "ALP profile". Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  5. ^ Rood, David, Swing to Cheeseman stops Lib's long run Archived 2 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine, 25 November 2007, The Age
  6. ^ "Darren Cheeseman". Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Labor MP kicked out of caucus over alleged inappropriate behaviour". The Age. 29 April 2024. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.


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