Talk:David Van

Family Life

Is Senater Van married? Does he have children? Siblings? Parents? This is the 1st Wikipedia I have seen without this info. 49.185.197.108 (talk) 08:18, 14 June 2023 (UTC)

I have found a bit of information, but it wasn't easy. In his maiden speech in the Senate in 2019 (https://www.davidvan.com.au/first-speech), he said "I would like to acknowledge the love and support of my life partner Nerilee, and thank her for standing beside me on this new journey. She has made incredible sacrifices for us and I want her to know how much I appreciate them and her." The UK Daily Mail (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12197497/Who-David-Van-Inside-controversial-life-Lidia-Thorpe-Amanda-Stoker-accused.html) mentions "his high-flying mining lawyer wife" (NOTE - "wife", not "partner") and has a photo of him standing with her, describing her as "his partner Nerilee Rockman". The Daily Mail isn't the most reliable of sources, so "partner" would probably be safer for us to say. I found no mention of any children. Not much there, but it could be massaged into a sentence or two for the article. HiLo48 (talk) 23:13, 15 June 2023 (UTC)

Proposed additions and corrections — subject submission (COI declared)

I am David Van, the subject of this article. I am submitting this to the Talk page rather than editing the article directly, in accordance with WP:COI and WP:SUBJECT. I am not requesting the removal of any content. I am requesting that independent editors consider additions and corrections supported by the published sources cited below. All proposed changes can be verified against publicly available primary and secondary sources before acceptance.

Summary of proposed changes

The current article covers my parliamentary career incompletely and gives disproportionate weight to the conduct allegations of June 2023 relative to the body of published work across my six-year Senate term. I am not requesting that coverage of the allegations be removed or reduced. I am requesting that the article be expanded to reflect verifiable published material about my Senate record that is currently absent. I also request one addition to the allegations section, noted below. The proposed additions fall into five areas: Ukraine and foreign policy advocacy, the Senate energy inquiry, the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023, Pacific defence policy, and post-parliamentary career. I also flag two factual matters for correction.

Proposed addition 1: Ukraine and foreign policy advocacy

The article notes my role as Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Ukraine but does not describe the substance of that advocacy. The following material is supported by independent published sources and is proposed for addition to the Senate career section.

Before Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, I published commentary in The Interpreter, the Lowy Institute's flagship foreign policy publication, arguing that Russia was pursuing a strategy of incrementalism that carried direct implications for the Indo-Pacific security environment and for Australia's strategic interests. The piece, published on 11 February 2022 — thirteen days before the invasion began — directly linked European resolve on Ukraine to the risk calculus facing China on Taiwan.

• Source: Van, David. "Europe can't pass the buck on Ukraine." The Interpreter, Lowy Institute. 11 February 2022. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/europe-can-t-pass-buck-ukraine

I was an early and persistent advocate for the provision of Bushmaster and Hawkei protected mobility vehicles to Ukraine. This advocacy was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and was the subject of questioning I conducted at Senate Estimates hearings reported in the Bendigo Advertiser. The SMH piece, by Matthew Knott, quoted me directly and named me as chair of the parliamentary Friends of Ukraine.

• Source: Knott, Matthew. "Ukraine's Eurovision finalists plead for Australian Hawkeis." Sydney Morning Herald. 23 May 2023. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/ukraine-s-eurovision-finalists-plead-for-australian-hawkeis-20230516-p5d8rx.html

• Source: "Hawkei armoured cars bound for Ukraine war in Australian support deal." The Age. 6 June 2023. https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/hawkei-armoured-cars-bound-for-ukraine-war-in-australian-support-deal-20230605-p5de5a.html

• Source: "Hawkeis not ready for Australian army, let alone Ukraine." Bendigo Advertiser. 6 June 2023. https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/8220139/do-not-free-bendigo-built-hawkeis-for-ukraine-general-warns/

In April 2024 I was featured on ABC Radio's The World Today alongside Lieutenant General Greg Bilton and Dr Hanna Shelest of Ukraine's Foreign Policy Council, discussing Australian military assistance to Ukraine and the government's refusal to reopen the Australian Embassy in Kyiv.

• Source: "Ukraine calls for support from Australia." ABC The World Today. 2 April 2024. (Audio and transcript via abc.net.au.)

On 7 March 2023 I moved a motion in the Senate specifically calling for the reopening of the Australian Embassy in Kyiv. This is on the public record in Hansard.

• Source: Commonwealth of Australia, Senate Hansard, MOTIONS: Ukraine. 7 March 2023. ParlInfo ID: chamber/hansards/26442/0113. https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber/hansards/26442/0113%22

In May 2023 I appeared on Episode 79 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast, produced by the Modern War Institute at West Point, discussing grey zone competition in the Indo-Pacific and the strategic importance of the Australia-US alliance. The episode was titled "In the Gray Zone, the Alliance is the Message."

• Source: Irregular Warfare Podcast, Episode 79, "In the Gray Zone, the Alliance is the Message." Modern War Institute at West Point. 22 May 2023. https://mwi.usma.edu/irregular-warfare-podcast-in-the-gray-zone-the-alliance-is-the-message/

Proposed addition 2: Senate Select Committee on Energy Planning and Regulation in Australia

The current article does not mention the Senate Select Committee on Energy Planning and Regulation in Australia (EPRA), which I chaired. This is a significant omission given the committee's scale and the independent coverage it received.

The committee was established by Senate resolution on 16 September 2024. I served as chair, with Senator Karen Grogan (ALP-SA) as deputy chair and members including Senators Matthew Canavan, Jonathon Duniam, Varun Ghosh, David Pocock and Larissa Waters. The committee reviewed 82 submissions, held five public hearing days and heard from more than 35 witnesses including AEMO, the AEMC, the AER, the ACCC, the Grattan Institute and the IEEFA. The committee tabled its final report on 20 December 2024. The report ran to 187 pages and made 22 recommendations covering governance, planning, consumer outcomes and economic efficiency. Key recommendations included a Productivity Commission-led inquiry into the energy planning regime, rule changes requiring AEMO directors to attest personally to compliance with the National Energy Objectives in signing the Integrated System Plan, and the development of a Strategic Energy Plan.

• Source (primary): Senate Select Committee on Energy Planning and Regulation in Australia, Final Report. Tabled 20 December 2024. https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Energy_Planning_and_Regulation_in_Australia

• Source (independent): "New Senate committee to focus on transparency and accountability of energy regulators and operator." RenewEconomy. 21 September 2024. https://reneweconomy.com.au/new-senate-committee-to-focus-on-transparency-and-accountability-of-energy-regulators-and-operator/

• Source (independent): Van, David. "'A thin veneer of governance:' Senate inquiry identifies critical failings in energy transition." RenewEconomy. 11 February 2025. https://reneweconomy.com.au/a-thin-veneer-of-governance-senate-inquiry-identifies-critical-failings-in-energy-transition/

• Source (independent): "Senate committee outlines path to modernise electricity market." pv magazine Australia. 20 December 2024. https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/press-releases/senate-committee-outlines-path-to-modernise-electricity-market/

Proposed addition 3: Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023

The current article does not mention my involvement in the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 (No. 111 of 2023), which commenced on 7 December 2023.

During the second reading debate in the Senate on 29 and 30 November 2023, I spoke in favour of the legislation while advocating for amendments to retain the socio-economic impact test that the government had proposed to remove, and for the inclusion of leasing arrangements and other financial instruments as alternatives to outright water entitlement buybacks. The Act as passed included amendments reducing reliance on buybacks and requiring an independent review of existing Basin Plan infrastructure projects, outcomes consistent with the amendments I had advocated for.

Note for editors: the stronger claim that specific amendments moved by Van were formally accepted should be verified against the Senate Committee of the Whole Hansard for 30 November and 13 December 2023 before inclusion. The above framing — that he advocated for outcomes consistent with those that passed — is supported by the available sources.

• Source (speech transcript): https://www.davidvan.com.au/speeches/restoring-rivers-bill-second-reading

• Source (Act details): Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 (Cth), No. 111 of 2023. Commenced 7 December 2023. Available via AustLII.

• Source (Act summary): Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. "Restoring Our Rivers Act 2023." https://www.dcceew.gov.au/water/policy/restoring-our-rivers-act

• Source (voting record): TheyVoteForYou. https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/victoria/david_van

Proposed addition 4: Pacific defence policy

In May 2023 I published a second piece in The Interpreter at the Lowy Institute, arguing the case for opening Australian Defence Force enlistment to citizens of Pacific Island nations. The piece was published under the Lowy Institute's Pacific Research Program and engaged substantively with the Defence Strategic Review released earlier that year and with Australia's strategic positioning in the Pacific.

• Source: Van, David. "The case for opening the ADF to citizens of Pacific Islands nations." The Interpreter, Lowy Institute (Pacific Research Program). 4 May 2023. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/case-opening-adf-citizens-pacific-islands-nations

Proposed addition 5: Post-parliamentary career

The article does not reflect my activities since leaving the Senate on 30 June 2025. I have made at least one verifiable public contribution in this period: a submission and appearance as a witness before the Economy and Infrastructure Committee of the Parliament of Victoria's inquiry into electric vehicles, in my capacity as Head of Strategy at Arvio Technology, an Australian energy technology company.

Source: Parliament of Victoria, Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Inquiry into Electricity Supply for Electric Vehicles. Written submission and transcript of evidence: David Van, Head of Strategy, Arvio Technology (appearing with Katharine Hole and Steven Marshall). Submission available at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/496293/contentassets/36ecef80741b497c803ad70f3b5a6271/116.1.-arvio-technology.pdf. Inquiry page: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/electricvehicleinquiry

Senatordavidvan (talk) 05:52, 20 May 2026 (UTC)

Proposed addition to the allegations section

The article describes the conduct allegations made in June 2023 and my subsequent departure from the Liberal party room. It does not record my response to those allegations. I request that the following sentence be added, sourced to published media reporting of my response at the time:

Van denied the allegations made against him.

Source 1 (Hansard, 14 June 2023 — immediate on-floor denial): Commonwealth of Australia, Senate Hansard, QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE: TAKE NOTE OF ANSWERS. 14 June 2023, p. 2192. Senator Van stated: "I utterly reject that disgusting statement outright." Available at: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/26731/&sid=0000 Source 2 (Hansard, 15 June 2023 — Personal Explanation to the Senate): Commonwealth of Australia, Senate Hansard, STATEMENTS: Personal Explanation. 15 June 2023, p. 2319. Senator Van stated: "Senator Thorpe's allegations are concocted from beginning to end. Nothing that she has alleged about me is truthful." Available at: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/26732/&sid=0000 Source 3 (SBS News): "Liberal senator David Van rejects Lidia Thorpe's sexual assault claim." SBS News. 15 June 2023. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/liberal-senator-rejects-lidia-thorpes-sexual-assault-claim/n6xt2vln8

 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Senatordavidvan (talk • contribs) 04:37, 20 May 2026 (UTC)

I am not requesting any further change to this section of the article. Senatordavidvan (talk) 05:47, 20 May 2026 (UTC)

Factual matters for correction

De Wintern Group founding date: The article states I was managing director of the De Wintern Group "since 2003". The aph.gov.au parliamentarian profile records my occupation as public affairs consultant from 1995 to 2019. The 2003 figure may reflect when the company was incorporated rather than when I began my public affairs career. Editors may wish to verify this and consider qualifying the date accordingly.

• Source: Parliament of Australia, Former Senator David Van — parliamentarian profile (MPID=283601). https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=283601

First speech date: The article refers to my "first speech in September 2019". ParlInfo records the first speech as delivered on 10 September 2019. This is a minor point but editors may wish to confirm the precise date if the article is otherwise updated.

Note on sources and editorial process

All proposed additions are supported by independent published sources — the Lowy Institute, RenewEconomy, pv magazine Australia, ABC Radio, the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, the Bendigo Advertiser, the Modern War Institute at West Point, DCCEEW, the Parliament of Australia website and ParlInfo Hansard — or by verifiable primary parliamentary sources.

Given the conflict of interest, I am not making these edits directly. I am requesting that independent editors assess the proposed additions against the cited sources and, where satisfied, incorporate the material into the article. I am available via this Talk page to provide additional source information if needed.

I am not requesting any change to the article's coverage of the June 2023 conduct allegations, the ADF investigation reported in July 2023, or the December 2023 reporting on parliamentary resources, beyond the single sentence noted above. Those matters are covered in published sources and their inclusion is consistent with Wikipedia's policies on living persons and neutrality.

Senatordavidvan (talk) 04:29, 20 May 2026 (UTC)

Hi Senatordavidvan, most of the above sources are primary, and not especially useful for biographical articles of political figures. I have included further detail about the subject's work as a consultant and on military aid to Ukraine. Speeches delivered by the subject or articles written by themselves, even if published in neutral sources, generally do not provide Wikipedia editors with enough information to determine what merits inclusion in an article, or how the content should be written, compared to coverage in secondary sources. It would be helpful if you proposed text for the article, with a reference to a source supporting the text. Onetwothreeip (talk) 22:02, 20 May 2026 (UTC)

== Proposed article text — follow-up to earlier submission ==

Thank you for the feedback and for the additions already made to the article, it is appreciated. I note the denial is now included and the Lowy Institute piece is cited. I will follow your advice and propose specific text with secondary source citations for the remaining gaps.

=== Proposed text 1: Ukraine advocacy — Hawkei and Bushmaster vehicles ===

The existing text notes Van's role as Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Ukraine but does not describe the substance of his advocacy. I propose the following addition after the existing Ukraine sentence:

Proposed text:

Van was an early advocate for Australia providing Bushmaster and Hawkei armoured vehicles to Ukraine. In May 2023 the Sydney Morning Herald reported Van, as chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Ukraine, was pressing the government to supply Hawkei vehicles to the Ukrainian military. In June 2023 The Age reported that Hawkei vehicles were to be supplied to Ukraine, following advocacy that included Senate Estimates questioning by Van.

=== Proposed text 2: Senate energy inquiry ===

The article does not mention Van's chairmanship of the Senate Select Committee on Energy Planning and Regulation in Australia (EPRA). This is supported by multiple independent secondary sources. I propose the following as a new paragraph in the Senate career section:

Proposed text:

In September 2024 Van established and chaired the Senate Select Committee on Energy Planning and Regulation in Australia (EPRA). The committee reviewed 82 submissions and held five days of public hearings, hearing from witnesses including AEMO, the AEMC, the AER, the ACCC and the Grattan Institute. The committee tabled its final report on 20 December 2024, making 22 recommendations covering energy market governance, planning, consumer outcomes and economic efficiency. Key recommendations included a Productivity Commission inquiry into the energy planning regime and rule changes to increase the accountability of AEMO to parliament. RenewEconomy described the report as identifying "critical failings in Australia's energy transition".

=== Notes for editors ===

Both proposed additions rely on secondary sources — Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, RenewEconomy and pv magazine Australia — rather than primary sources or self-authored material. I am happy to refine the proposed text if needed.

Senatordavidvan (talk) 05:42, 21 May 2026 (UTC) Senatordavidvan (talk) 05:42, 21 May 2026 (UTC)

Thank you for your proposed contributions to the article. I do not see anywhere in these articles where Van is described as an "early advocate" or anything like that in the sources provided. I have added some text to the article about the energy planning committee, regarding Van's involvement. Further detail about the committee may be more relevant on other articles but could be expanded here where it relates to the subject. I encourage you to continue proposing text if you feel that the article could be further improved. Onetwothreeip (talk) 00:54, 22 May 2026 (UTC)

Commenting to follow this discussion. I will see if I can look into adding and verifying the noteworthy nature of the proposed edits hopefully soon to help out DirectorDirectorDirector (talk) 13:43, 8 June 2026 (UTC)