Michael Danby was elected as a Labor member for Melbourne Ports in 1998 and was re-elected in 2001, 2004, 2007, and 2010. Since his election, his main areas of interest have been foreign affairs, defense and national security, immigration, electoral matters, human rights, and the environment. He has also been active on the issue of the childcare crisis in inner urban areas such as Melbourne Ports. In the Parliament, Michael Danby served as one of two Opposition Whips (2001-2007). He has also served as Deputy Chair of the Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters. From 2007–2010, he was the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration. He was the Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade and was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts in March 2013.  He is the Chair of the Australia-United States Parliamentary Friendship Committee, Secretary of the Australia-Israel Friendship Group, and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet.