People   >   Darrin Barnett

Darrin Barnett

Director – Labor and Crossbench


T +61 2 9223 0311   | E db@premiernational.com.au

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  • Former Press Secretary to a Labor Prime Minister and veteran of the Canberra Press Gallery

  • Worked on several key Labor election campaigns at state and federal level and in recent times assisted Independent candidates in achieving significant victories in Wentworth and Warringah

  • Long-term lobbyist focusing on the crossbench and ALP with extensive contacts across politics and media

  • Broad experience as a media spokesperson and commentator across television, radio, print and online

Darrin is a former Press Secretary to the Prime Minister and Canberra Press Gallery Journalist who has been working on the frontline of media, state and federal politics for more than 20 years.

Darrin started out with the ABC and then AAP, with lengthy stints in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra before crossing over to become a press secretary and chief of staff for Labor ministers at state and federal level.

He served as Press Secretary to Prime Minister Julia Gillard and was Senior Canberra Press Secretary for the 2013 and 2016 Federal Election campaigns for the ALP.

Darrin was also the campaign director, media spokesperson and principal adviser to Wentworth Independent MP Dr Kerryn Phelps and his consultancy ran the successful campaign to elect Independent Zali Steggall MP in Warringah.

He has extensive experience across a wide range of portfolio areas including health, housing, community services and industrial relations, with additional journalistic experience covering financial markets and publicly listed companies.

Darrin has a broad network of contacts in both media and politics at a domestic and international level and a demonstrated capacity to work on complex issues to tight timeframes.

He is an experienced lobbyist to both government and opposition parties, focusing on the crossbench in both houses of the Australian Parliament as well as the ALP.

Darrin also has extensive experience as a media spokesperson on both the ABC and Sky News, in addition to opinion pieces published in News Corp, Nine/Fairfax newspapers, ABC online and the Daily Mail.

 

People   >   Darrin Barnett