The Honourable David Elliott's keen interest in politics led him to join the Liberal Party on his 16th birthday and take on research roles on the personal staff of then Senator Bronwyn Bishop in her Parramatta office before spending four years on the personal staff of the Hon John Howard OM AC. After graduating in 1993, David joined the NSW Police Media Unit and worked on a number of high-profile operations, including Task Force Air, which led to the arrest of notorious backpacker murderer Ivan Milat.

In 1995, David joined the Regular Army and, following studies at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, was commissioned into the Australian Army Public Relations Service and promoted to the rank of Captain. He completed his Master’s Degree on an Army part scholarship. A long-time friendship with then NSW Opposition Leader, the Hon Peter Collins QC MP, saw David return to politics as his senior press secretary in 1997. Following the change of leadership in the NSW Liberal Party in 1999, David was invited to be the National Campaign Director of the “No Republic” campaign. Under his administration, David saw a successful “No” vote in every State of the Commonwealth. For his services to the referendum, he was awarded the Commonwealth’s Centenary Medal in 2001.

In 1999, he also completed his final Master’s dissertation on the relationship between the Liberal Party of Australia and the media. January 2000 saw David recalled to the Australian Regular Army and posted to the headquarters staff of the multinational peacekeeping forces in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, for which he was awarded the Australian Service Medal (Bougainville clasp). He returned to Australia in June 2000 and opted for a career sabbatical with the international charity, St John Ambulance, working as the Major Events Manager in Australia and the Manchester Commonwealth Games, UK.

In January 2004, David joined the Australian Hotels Association and served as the NSW Deputy Chief Executive until January 2008. He was responsible for tourism and accommodation issues as well as being the Association’s public affairs director. He was awarded the Australian Defence Medal in April 2007. During his time at the AHA (NSW), David served on a number of industry boards and committees, including Hotel Employers Mutual and The National Tourism Alliance. In January 2008, David was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Civil Contractors Federation (NSW) based at Norwest Business Park, which employed 15 staff and operated as a Registered Training Organisation servicing more than 500 businesses ranging from publicly listed companies to small family concerns constructing infrastructure across Australia.

David was a Director of Castle Hill RSL Group from 2009 to 2016. From January 2006 to December 2007, he was a lay-member of the NSW Law Society Professional Conduct Committee. In October 2009, David was also appointed as a Member of the Sydney Business Chamber Policy Committee. He lives in Kellyville and is married to Nicole, and they have two sons, Lachlan (22) and William (20). His interests include travel, history, rugby, sailing, and golf. David was elected to the 55th Parliament as the Member for Baulkham Hills on 26th March 2011 with a 16 per cent swing to the Liberal Party. In June 2011, he was also elected as the Chairman of the NSW Economic Development Committee.

In 2011, he presided over the Inquiry into the NSW Parliamentary Budget Office. In May 2014, he was promoted to Parliamentary Secretary to then Premier Mike Baird. He has also served as the Chairman of Ministerial Consultative Council on India, Secretary of Parliamentary Friends of Papua New Guinea, and Chairman of the St John Ambulance Parliamentary Auxiliary. David was a member of the Australian Political Exchange Council’s 21st delegation to Japan in March 2013.

He also represented the NSW Parliament in October 2013 at the Global Conference on the Role of Parliaments and Extractive Industries in Vienna, Austria. Following the re-election of the Baird Government in March 2015, David was appointed Minister for Corrections, Emergency Services, and Veterans Affairs. In August 2015, David was appointed a Member in The Order of St John. In early 2017, Premier Gladys Berejiklian appointed David the Minister for Counter Terrorism, replacing Emergency Services.

Following the re-election of the Berejiklian Government in March 2019, David was appointed Minister for Police and Emergency Services. In December 2021, Premier Dominic Perrottet appointed David Minister for Transport and Veterans Affairs. David was subsequently appointed Minister for Western Sydney in August 2022. As his seat of Baulkham Hills was abolished in the lead-up to the 2023 State Election, David announced his retirement from State Parliament and in May 2023 was appointed the Chief Executive of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (NSW & ACT).