Darren Foster

Darren Foster is a senior public servant in the WA government with extensive experience working for Labor ministers. He has advised the Commonwealth, State and local governments for over 37 years in environment, treasury and finance, energy, health, education and training, tourism, racing and gaming, and native title.

Mr Foster has worked with the WA Department of Water & Environmental Regulation, Treasury, Premier & the Cabinet, Fisheries and the Environmental Protection Authority. He was director general of Premier & Cabinet for four years during the McGowan government. Earlier in his career, he was chief of staff to Mark McGowan during the Carpenter government and an advisor to ministers including state treasurer Eric Ripper.

In August 2021, Mr Foster became the special advisor of regulatory reform at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. This followed more than a year as special advisor on economic recovery in the Western Australian Treasury, an appointment that coincided with the onset of the COVID pandemic. Mr Foster retired from public service in mid July 2022.