Politics
David was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity and the Minister of Forestry following the 2008 General Election.

He was first elected to Parliament in 1994 as the MP for the rural electorate of Selwyn. In the 1996 General Election, he won the Banks Peninsula electorate. In 1999 he became a list member based in Canterbury with specific responsibility for the Banks Peninsula electorate.

David was the Junior Government Whip in 1996, before being promoted to a Minister outside Cabinet in 1998. Ministerial responsibilities included Minister for Senior Citizens, Associate Minister for Food Fibre, Biosecurity and Border Control, Associate Minister for Revenue, and Associate Minister for Education. From 1999 he was the National Party spokesman for Finance, Housing, and Tourism. In 2002 he was made the spokesman for Agriculture, and Chaired the Primary Production Select Committee.

Education
David was born in 1952, and attended St Bede's College in Christchurch. He is one of six current Members of Parliament who attended St Bede's College.

He completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree at Lincoln University before embarking on a farming and business career.

Career
By 1974 he had established New Zealand's first commercial cattle embryo transplant company, and was instrumental in seeing cattle breeds such as Simmental, Charolais and Limousin established in both New Zealand and Australia.

During the 1980's he continued his involvement in the agriculture sector, establishing the Avon Park Simmental Stud and serving as the President of the Simmental Cattle Breeders' Society of New Zealand.  He was also involved with the hospitality industry in Christchurch, establishing New Zealand's first theatrically themed restaurant.

Now
David currently farms a 2,500 stock unit farm on Banks Peninsula and owns a 7,500 stock unit farm at Cheviot, North Canterbury.