Minister for Defence (Australia)
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The current Minister for Defence of Australia is Joel Fitzgibbon. He administers his porfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence (Australia) and the Australian Defence Force.[1]
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[edit] Ministers for Defence
There was a Minister for Defence from 1 January 1901 until 13 November 1939. Robert Menzies, the Prime Minister, abolished the position on the outbreak of World War II and created separate Ministers for the Navy, the Army and the Air, with himself as Minister for Defence Coordination in his first ministry. He retained this position until the fall of his government, and then held the post in the brief government of Arthur Fadden. John Curtin initially followed the same arrangement as Menzies in his ministry until 14 April 1942, when he took the title of Minister for Defence. The separate titles of Ministers for the Navy, the Army and the Air were abolished in the second Whitlam Ministry on 30 November 1973, when the separate departments of Navy, Army and Air were also abolished. There had also been a separate Navy portfolio between 1915 and 1921. Since 1982, from time to time there have been ministers outside cabinet supporting the Minister for Defence. For example, there is currently a Minister for Defence Science and Personnel (Warren Snowdon).
* Minister for Defence Coordination
[edit] Ministers for Air
| Minister | Party affiliation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| James Fairbairn | United Australia Party | 1939–1940 |
| Arthur Fadden | United Australia Party | 1940 |
| John McEwen | Country Party | 1940–1941 |
| Arthur Drakeford | Australian Labor Party | 1941–1949 |
| Thomas White | Liberal Party | 1949–1949 |
| Philip McBride | Liberal Party | 1951 |
| William McMahon | Liberal Party | 1951–1954 |
| Athol Townley | Liberal Party | 1954–1956 |
| Frederick Osborne | Liberal Party | 1956–1960 |
| Harrie Wade | Liberal Party | 1960–1961 |
| Les Bury | Liberal Party | 1961–1962 |
| David Fairbairn | Liberal Party | 1962–1964 |
| Peter Howson | Liberal Party | 1964–1968 |
| Gordon Freeth | Liberal Party | 1968–1969 |
| Dudley Erwin | Liberal Party | 1969 |
| Thomas Drake-Brockman | Liberal Party | 1969–1972 |
| Lance Barnard | Australian Labor Party | 1972–1973 |
[edit] Ministers for the Army
| Minister | Party affiliation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Geoffrey Street | United Australia Party | 1939–1940 |
| Philip McBride | United Australia Party | 1940 |
| Percy Spender | United Australia Party | 1940–1941 |
| Frank Forde | Australian Labor Party | 1941–1946 |
| Cyril Chambers | Australian Labor Party | 1946–1949 |
| Josiah Francis | Liberal Party | 1949–1955 |
| Eric Harrison | Liberal Party | 1955–1956 |
| John Cramer | Liberal Party | 1956–1963 |
| Jim Forbes | Liberal Party | 1963–1966 |
| Malcolm Fraser | Liberal Party | 1966–1968 |
| Phillip Lynch | Liberal Party | 1968–1969 |
| Andrew Peacock | Liberal Party | 1969–1972 |
| Bob Katter | Country Party | 1972 |
| Lance Barnard | Australian Labor Party | 1972–1973 |
[edit] Ministers for the Navy
| Minister | Party affiliation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Jens Jensen | Australian Labor Party | 1915–1916 |
| Jens Jensen | National Labor Party | 1916–1917 |
| Joseph Cook | Nationalist Party of Australia | 1917–1920 |
| William Laird Smith | Nationalist Party of Australia | 1920–1921 |
| Frederick Stewart | United Australia Party | 1939–1940 |
| Archie Cameron | United Australia Party | 1940 |
| Billy Hughes | United Australia Party | 1940–1941 |
| Norman Makin | Australian Labor Party | 1941–1946 |
| Arthur Drakeford | Australian Labor Party | 1946 |
| Bill Riordan | Australian Labor Party | 1946–1949 |
| Josiah Francis | Liberal Party | 1949–1951 |
| Philip McBride | Liberal Party | 1951 |
| William McMahon | Liberal Party | 1951–1954 |
| Josiah Francis | Liberal Party | 1954–1955 |
| Eric Harrison | Liberal Party | 1955–1956 |
| Neil O'Sullivan | Liberal Party | 1956 |
| Charles Davidson | Liberal Party | 1956–1958 |
| John Gorton | Liberal Party | 1958–1963 |
| James Forbes | Liberal Party | 1963–1964 |
| Fred Chaney | Liberal Party | 1964–1966 |
| Don Chipp | Liberal Party | 1966–1968 |
| Bert Kelly | Liberal Party | 1968–1969 |
| James Killen | Liberal Party | 1969–1971 |
| Malcolm Mackay | Liberal Party | 1971–1972 |
| Lance Barnard | Australian Labor Party | 1972–1973 |
[edit] Ministers for Supply
| Minister | Party affiliation | Period | Ministerial Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Casey | United Australia Party | 1939–1940 | Minister for Supply and Development |
| Frederick Stewart | United Australia Party | 1940 | |
| Philip McBride | United Australia Party | 1940–1941 | |
| George McLeay | United Australia Party | 1941 | |
| Jack Beasley | Australian Labor Party | 1941–1942 | |
| Jack Beasley | Australian Labor Party | 1942–1945 | Minister for Supply and Shipping |
| William Ashley | Australian Labor Party | 1945–1948 | |
| John Armstrong | Australian Labor Party | 1948–1949 | Minister for Supply and Development |
| Richard Casey | Liberal Party | 1949–1950 | |
| Howard Beale | Liberal Party | 1950–1958 | Minister for Supply |
| Athol Townley | Liberal Party | 1958 | |
| Alan Hulme | Liberal Party | 1958–1961 | |
| Allen Fairhall | Liberal Party | 1961–1966 | |
| Denham Henty | Liberal Party | 1966–1968 | |
| Kenneth Anderson | Liberal Party | 1968–1971 | |
| Victor Garland | Liberal Party | 1971–1972 | |
| Lance Barnard | Australian Labor Party | 1972–1973 | |
| Kep Enderby | Australian Labor Party | 1973–1974 |
[edit] Ministers for Munitions
| Minister | Party affiliation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Menzies | United Australia Party | 1940 |
| Philip McBride | United Australia Party | 1940–1941 |
| Norman Makin | Australian Labor Party | 1941–1946 |
| John Dedman | Australian Labor Party | 1946 |
| John Armstrong | Australian Labor Party | 1946–1948 |
[edit] Ministers for defence production
| Minister | Party affiliation | Period | Ministerial Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Leckie | United Australia Party | 1941 | Minister for Aircraft Production |
| Donald Cameron | Australian Labor Party | 1941–1945 | |
| Norman Makin | Australian Labor Party | 1945–1946 | |
| John Dedman | Australian Labor Party | 1946 | |
| Eric Harrison | Liberal Party | 1951–1956 | Minister for Defence Production |
| Howard Beale | Liberal Party | 1956–1958 | |
| Athol Townley | Liberal Party | 1958 |
[edit] References and notes
- ^ Refer to Australian Defence Organisation, Department of Defence (Australia) and Australian Defence Force for more information.
