Wikipedia

David Philip Benedict Smith (born 25 March 1970) is an Australian politician. On 23 May 2018, the High Court of Australia declared him elected as a Senator for the Australian Capital Territory after Labor senator Katy Gallagher was found ineligible to have been elected. Before his election, Smith was the ACT director of the Professionals Australia union. He was sworn in to the Australian Senate on 18 June 2018. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the Division of Bean, ACT, at the 2019 federal election.

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Voting Record Full record ↗

Voted for

tobacco plain packaging increasing trade unions' powers in the workplace regional processing of asylum seekers increasing fishing restrictions increasing surveillance powers increasing consumer protections protecting whales within Australian waters creating a federal Anti-Corruption Commission buffer zones around abortion clinics federal action on public housing protecting the Great Barrier Reef

Mixed / less clear

parliament continuing to meet during the COVID-19 pandemic considering legislation to create a federal anti-corruption commission (procedural) removing children from immigration detention increasing transparency of big business by making information public a transition plan for coal workers targeting foreign interference in Australia increasing scrutiny of asylum seeker management climate change mitigation strategies (e.g., carbon capture and storage) increasing investment in renewable energy the Paris Climate Agreement unconventional gas mining

Voted against

a carbon price privatising government-owned assets increasing restrictions on gambling requiring a warrant to access citizens’ telecommunications records landholders' right to say no to mining and gas exploration increasing indexation of HECS-HELP debts increasing transparency of the China-Australia relationship protecting whistleblowers a Royal Commission into banking the use of strong encryption technologies increasing parliamentary entitlements for current MPs and Senators

Recent Votes – Current Parliament

The 10 most recent “Aye” and “No” votes recorded in the Australian Parliament's own division records this term, sourced directly from aph.gov.au independently of the voting-record data above.

Most recent Aye votes

2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 3) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 3) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 3) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Income Tax Rates Amendment (Minimum Tax on Discretionary Trusts) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Income Tax Rates Amendment (Minimum Tax on Discretionary Trusts) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 4) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 4) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 4) Bill 2026
2026-10-28 – Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026
2026-10-28 – Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026

Most recent No votes

2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 3) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 3) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 3) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 3) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 4) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 4) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 4) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 4) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 4) Bill 2026
2026-10-29 – Domestic Gas Reservation Bill 2026

Interests & Gifts

View full register page

Shareholdings

Spouse/partner: IAG

Trusts And Nominee Companies

I Beneficial Interest — Spouse/partner: Name Of Trust Or Nominee Company: The J.Centenera Family Trust · Nature Of Operation: Farming and property investment · Beneficial Interests: Joint beneficiary; Name Of Trust Or Nominee Company: The Marcmonella Property Trust · Nature Of Operation: Farming and property investment · Beneficial Interests: Joint beneficiary; Name Of Trust Or Nominee Company: The Joliz Trust · Nature Of Operation: Farming and property investment · Beneficial Interests: Joint beneficiary; Name Of Trust Or Nominee Company: The Jolets Sanitation trust · Nature Of Operation: Venture capital · Beneficial Interests: Joint beneficiary
I Beneficial Interest — Dependent children: Name Of Trust Or Nominee Company: The J. Centenera Trust · Nature Of Operation: Farming and property investment · Beneficial Interests: Joint beneficiary; Name Of Trust Or Nominee Company: The Marcmonella Property Trust · Nature Of Operation: Farming and property investment · Beneficial Interests: Joint beneficiary; Name Of Trust Or Nominee Company: The Joliz Trust · Nature Of Operation: Farming and property investment · Beneficial Interests: Joint beneficiary; Name Of Trust Or Nominee Company: The Joleta Sanitation Trust · Nature Of Operation: Venture capital · Beneficial Interests: Joint beneficiary

Real Estate

Self: Location: Farrer ACT · Purpose: Residential
Spouse/partner: Location: Farrer ACT · Purpose: Residential

Directorships

Spouse/partner: Joleta Pty Ltd; Joleta Sanitation Pty Ltd

Liabilities

Self: Nature Of Liability: Mortgage on residential property · Creditor: Westpac
Spouse/partner: Nature Of Liability: Mortgage on residential property · Creditor: Westpac

Saving Or Investment Accounts

Self: Nature Of Account: Savings · Institution: Commonwealth; Nature Of Account: Term Deposit · Institution: Commonwealth
Spouse/partner: Nature Of Account: Savings · Institution: Westpac
Dependent children: Nature Of Account: Savings · Institution: Westpac

Other Assets Over 7500

Self: Superannuation
Spouse/partner: Car

Other Substantial Sources Of Income

Spouse/partner: Superannuation; Board income; Consultancy fees

Gifts

Self: Chairman's Lounge Qantas; Virgin Beyond; 4 tickets to Canberra Raiders vs Manly - 9 August 2025
Spouse/partner: Virgin Beyond

Memberships Conflict Possible

Spouse/partner: Kababaihang ni Rizal

Other Interests Potential Conflict

Spouse/partner: Board Member Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Education Ltd; Chair - Canberra International Music Festival; Advisory Committee Member - The Global Centre for Social Justice and Advisory Leadership

Salary

We estimate David Smith received a parliamentary salary of: $239,270

Based on the Remuneration Tribunal base salary of $239,270 plus any additional allowance for ministerial, shadow or office-holder roles held at time of generation.

Expenditure

Latest quarter total: $119,826
Printing and Communications: $49,428
Office Consumables and Services: $6,439
Publications: $793
Telecommunications - Usage: $767
Private-Plated Vehicle: $4,087
COMCAR: $84
Travel Allowance: $2,568
Electorate Duties: $273
Fares: $3,275
Domestic Travel: $5,583
Parliamentary Delegations: $4,475
Office Facilities - Not stated: $42,055

David Smith