Updated posts 2026
Meet Steve Dimopoulos, a Victorian parliamentarian whose path to the state’s cabinet began behind the counter of a café in Oakleigh. Born in 1972 and raised in Hughesdale in Melbourne’s south-east, the Greek-Australian MP has represented the seat of Oakleigh since 2014 and now holds three portfolios in the Victorian government.
Steve Dimopoulos Biography
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Born | 1972 |
| Birthplace | Australia; raised in Hughesdale, Melbourne |
| Education | Monash University |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Party | Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch) |
| Electorate | Oakleigh |
| In Parliament | Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since November 2014 |
| Current Portfolios | Minister for Sport; Minister for WorkSafe and TAC; Minister for Equality |
| Spouse | John Cardona |
Early Life and Local Roots
Dimopoulos grew up in a Greek-Australian family in Hughesdale, part of the same south-eastern Melbourne community he would later represent in parliament. He has spoken frequently about navigating both his cultural background and his sexuality, and about what visibility in public life asks of the people who have it.
Before Parliament
His working life before politics was in tech he kickstarted his career as a software engineer. Later he ran a café in Oakleigh, worked in the Department of Justice and at the Victorian Multicultural Commission, and served in the office of the late Simon Crean, then federal member for Hotham.
Local government came first. Elected to the City of Monash council in 2003, he went on to serve as Mayor. By his own account it was community campaigning that pulled him toward politics, on the view that government can help people build better lives for themselves.
That trajectory is worth sitting with, because it runs against the assumption that political careers begin in law firms or party offices. Council work is unglamorous and close to the ground, dealing with planning disputes, local facilities, and residents who know where you live. It also produces politicians who arrive in a state parliament already knowing how decisions land on a street, which is a different formation from the one most ministerial careers follow.
Entering State Parliament
Dimopoulos won Oakleigh at the November 2014 state election, succeeding Ann Barker. He has held the seat since, prioritising public infrastructure and policy in education, health, housing and transport.
Ministerial Career
He entered cabinet in June 2022 under Premier Daniel Andrews, taking Tourism, Sport and Major Events alongside Creative Industries. Creative Industries passed to Colin Brooks in October 2023, when Dimopoulos added Outdoor Recreation and, later, Environment under Premier Jacinta Allan.
An April 2026 reshuffle ended his tenure in Tourism and Outdoor Recreation. Following the Labor leadership change, Premier Ben Carroll’s first cabinet in August 2026 gave him Equality alongside Sport and WorkSafe and TAC, taking the portfolio over from Vicki Ward.
The Equality Portfolio
The appointment carries particular weight. Dimopoulos is among the most prominent openly gay politicians in the state and was one of the first openly gay frontbench ministers in Victorian history. He is married to John Cardona, whom he met in a Melbourne bar in 2010.
He has described the role as one of influencing the rest of government rather than running programmes directly, arguing that LGBTQIA+ needs require a reference point at the executive level across every portfolio. He has also pointed to what he calls soft infrastructure — pride events, regional festivals, community venues — as immediate priorities for social cohesion.
Frequently Asked Questions about Steve Dimopoulos
Q: Which seat does Steve Dimopoulos represent?
A: Oakleigh, in Melbourne’s south-east, which he has held for Labor since November 2014.
Q: What did he do before entering parliament?
A: He ran a café in Oakleigh, worked in the Department of Justice and the Victorian Multicultural Commission, served as a City of Monash councillor and Mayor, and worked for federal MP Simon Crean.
Q: What portfolios does he currently hold?
A: Sport, WorkSafe and TAC, and Equality.
Q: What is his background?
A: He is Greek-Australian, born in 1972 and raised in Hughesdale. He is married to John Cardona.
Summing Up
Dimopoulos’s career traces a familiar Australian arc — migrant family, small business, local council, state parliament — and a less familiar one, as one of the few openly gay ministers to reach the senior ranks of a Victorian government. With a state election due in November, the Equality portfolio puts him at the centre of a debate that tends to sharpen during campaigns.
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