Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)

The Australian Minister for Home Affairs was a ministerial portfolio that existed continuously from 1901 to 12 April 1932, when Archdale Parkhill became Minister for the Interior in the first Lyons Ministry—subsuming his portfolios of Home Affairs and Transport. The Home Affairs or Interior portfolio was responsible for various internal matters, not handled by other ministries. In due course other portfolios were established that took over functions from it, including:

The establishment of such portfolios left the Minister for the Interior mainly responsible for administering the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, including, until 1967, the Australian Aboriginals residing there.[1] On 19 December 1972 the interior portfolio was replaced in the Whitlam Ministry by the Minister for the Capital Territory and the Minister for the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory portfolio was abolished on 28 September 1978, following the granting of self-government to the Northern Territory. From July 1987, administration of the Australian Capital Territory was subsumed in the portfolio of Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, anticipating ACT self-government on 11 May 1989.

It was re-established in 2007 bringing together agencies such as the Australian Customs Service (including the Border Protection Command), the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which were previously the responsibility of the Minister for Justice and Customs and the Attorney-General. The Minister for Home Affairs also has an influence on the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification.[2] The border responsibilities moved to the newly created Minister for Immigration and Border Protection in 2013, the others returning to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.

List of Ministers for Home Affairs

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Home Affairs, or any of its precursor titles:[3]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 William Lyne   Protectionist Barton Minister for Home Affairs 1 January 1901 11 August 1903 2 years, 222 days
2 John Forrest 11 August 1903 24 September 1903 260 days
Deakin 24 September 1903 27 April 1904
3 Lee Batchelor   Labor Watson 27 April 1904 17 August 1904 112 days
4 Dugald Thomson   Free Trade Reid 17 August 1904 5 July 1905 322 days
5 Littleton Groom   Protectionist Deakin 5 July 1905 12 October 1906 1 years, 99 days
6 Thomas Ewing 12 October 1906 24 January 1907 104 days
7 John Keating 24 January 1907 13 November 1908 1 years, 294 days
8 Hugh Mahon   Labor Fisher 13 November 1908 2 June 1909 201 days
9 George Fuller   Free Trade Deakin 2 June 1909 29 April 1910 331 days
10 King O'Malley   Labor Fisher 29 April 1910 24 June 1913 3 years, 56 days
11 Joseph Cook   Commonwealth Liberal Cook 24 June 1913 17 September 1914 1 years, 85 days
12 William Archibald   Labor Fisher 17 September 1914 27 October 1915 1 years, 40 days
n/a King O'Malley Hughes 27 October 1915 14 November 1916 1 years, 18 days
13 Fred Bamford   National Labor Minister for Home and Territories 14 November 1916 17 February 1917 95 days
14 Paddy Glynn   Nationalist 17 February 1917 3 February 1920 2 years, 351 days
15 Alexander Poynton 3 February 1920 21 December 1921 1 years, 321 days
16 George Pearce 21 December 1921 9 February 1923 4 years, 179 days
Bruce 9 February 1923 18 June 1926
17 William Glasgow 18 June 1926 2 April 1927 288 days
18 Charles Marr 2 April 1927 24 February 1928 328 days
19 Neville Howse 24 February 1928 29 November 1928 279 days
20 Aubrey Abbott   Country 29 November 1928 22 October 1929 327 days
21 Arthur Blakeley   Labor Scullin Minister for Home Affairs 22 October 1929 6 January 1932 2 years, 76 days
22 Archdale Parkhill   United Australia Lyons 6 January 1932 7 November 1938 6 years, 305 days
23 Robert Ellicott   Liberal Fraser Minister for Home Affairs 20 December 1977 3 November 1980 3 years, 59 days
Minister for Home Affairs and Environment 3 November 1980 17 February 1981
24 Michael MacKellar 17 February 1981 19 March 1981 30 days
25 Ian Wilson 19 March 1981 7 May 1982 1 years, 49 days
26 Tom McVeigh   National Country 7 May 1982 16 October 1982 308 days
National 16 October 1982 11 March 1983
27 Barry Cohen   Labor Hawke 11 March 1983 13 December 1984 1 years, 277 days
28 Robert Ray   Labor Hawke Minister for Home Affairs 24 July 1987 2 September 1988 1 years, 40 days
29 Bob Debus   Labor Rudd Minister for Home Affairs 3 December 2007 9 June 2009 1 years, 188 days
30 Brendan O'Connor 9 June 2009 24 June 2010 2 years, 188 days
Gillard 24 June 2010 14 December 2011
31 Jason Clare 14 December 2011 27 June 2013 1 years, 278 days
Rudd 27 June 2013 18 September 2013

List of Ministers for the Interior

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for the Interior:[3]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Archdale Parkhill   United Australia Lyons Minister for the Interior 12 April 1932 13 October 1932 184 days
2 John Perkins 13 October 1932 12 October 1934 1 years, 364 days
3 Eric Harrison 12 October 1934 9 November 1934 28 days
4 Thomas Paterson   Country 9 November 1934 29 November 1937 3 years, 20 days
5 John McEwen 29 November 1937 7 April 1939 1 years, 148 days
Page 7 April 1939 26 April 1939
6 Harry Foll   United Australia Menzies 26 April 1939 29 August 1941 2 years, 164 days
Fadden 29 August 1941 7 October 1941
7 Joe Collings   Labor Curtin 7 October 1941 6 July 1945 3 years, 279 days
Forde 6 July 1945 13 July 1945
8 Herbert Johnson Chifley 13 July 1945 19 December 1949 4 years, 159 days
9 Philip McBride   Liberal Menzies 19 December 1949 24 October 1950 309 days
n/a Eric Harrison 24 October 1950 11 May 1951 199 days
10 Wilfrid Kent Hughes 11 May 1951 11 January 1956 4 years, 245 days
11 Allen Fairhall 11 January 1956 10 December 1958 2 years, 333 days
12 Gordon Freeth 10 December 1958 18 December 1963 5 years, 8 days
13 John Gorton 18 December 1963 4 March 1964 77 days
14 Doug Anthony   Country 4 March 1964 26 January 1966 3 years, 226 days
Holt 26 January 1966 16 October 1967
15 Peter Nixon 16 October 1967 19 December 1967 3 years, 112 days
McEwen 19 December 1967 10 January 1968
Gorton 10 January 1968 5 February 1971
16 Ralph Hunt 5 February 1971 10 March 1971 1 years, 304 days
McMahon 10 March 1971 5 December 1972
17 Lance Barnard   Labor Whitlam 5 December 1972 19 December 1972 14 days

List of ministers with responsibilities for Australian territories

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, or any precedent titles:[3]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Charles Marr   United Australia Lyons Minister in charge of Territories 6 January 1932 24 May 1934 2 years, 138 days
2 Harry Lawson 24 May 1934 12 October 1934 141 days
3 George Pearce 12 October 1934 29 November 1937 3 years, 48 days
4 Billy Hughes 29 November 1937 7 November 1938 343 days
5 John Perkins Minister without portfolio administering External Territories 7 November 1938 8 November 1938 1 day
6 Eric Harrison 8 November 1938 7 April 1939 169 days
Page 7 April 1939 26 April 1939
n/a John Perkins Menzies 26 April 1939 14 March 1940 323 days
7 Horace Nock   Country Minister without portfolio in charge of External Territories 14 March 1940 28 October 1940 228 days
8 Thomas Collins Minister without portfolio assisting the Prime Minister dealing with External Territories 28 October 1940 26 June 1941 241 days
9 Allan MacDonald   United Australia Minister for External Territories 26 June 1941 29 August 1941 103 days
Fadden 29 August 1941 7 October 1941
10 James Fraser   Labor Curtin 7 October 1941 21 September 1943 1 years, 349 days
11 Eddie Ward 21 September 1943 6 July 1945 6 years, 89 days
Forde 6 July 1945 13 July 1945
Chifley 13 July 1945 19 December 1949
12 Percy Spender   Liberal Menzies 19 December 1949 26 April 1951 1 years, 128 days
13 Richard Casey 27 April 1951 11 May 1951 15 days
14 Paul Hasluck Minister for Territories 11 May 1951 18 December 1963 12 years, 221 days
15 Charles Barnes   Country 18 December 1963 26 January 1966 8 years, 38 days
Holt 26 January 1966 19 December 1967
McEwen 19 December 1967 10 January 1968
Gorton 10 January 1968 28 February 1968
Minister for External Territories 28 February 1968 10 March 1971
McMahon 10 March 1971 25 January 1972
16 Andrew Peacock   Liberal 25 January 1972 5 December 1972 315 days
17 Gough Whitlam1   Labor Whitlam 5 December 1972 19 December 1972 14 days
18 Bill Morrison 19 December 1972 30 November 1973 346 days
19 Tom Uren   Labor Hawke Minister for Territories and Local Government 11 March 1983 13 December 1984 1 years, 277 days
20 Gordon Scholes Minister for Territories 13 December 1984 24 July 1987 2 years, 223 days
21 John Brown Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories 24 July 1987 18 December 1987 147 days
22 Gary Punch Minister for the Arts and Territories 19 January 1988 2 September 1988 227 days
22 Clyde Holding 2 September 1988 22 May 1989 1 years, 214 days
Minister for the Arts, Tourism and Territories 22 May 1989 4 April 1990
23 David Simmons 4 April 1990 20 December 1991 1 years, 267 days
Keating 20 December 1991 27 December 1991
24 Wendy Fatin Minister for the Arts and Territories 27 December 1991 24 March 1993 1 years, 87 days
25 Ros Kelly Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories 24 March 1993 1 March 1994 342 days
26 Graham Richardson 1 March 1994 25 March 1994 24 days
27 John Faulkner 25 March 1994 11 March 1996 1 years, 352 days
28 Warwick Smith   Liberal Howard Minister for Sport, Territories and Local Government 11 March 1996 9 October 1997 1 years, 212 days
29 Alex Somlyay Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government 9 October 1997 21 October 1998 1 years, 12 days
30 Ian Macdonald Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government 21 October 1998 26 November 2001 3 years, 36 days
31 Wilson Tuckey 25 January 2002 7 October 2003 1 years, 255 days
n/a Ian Macdonald Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads 7 October 2003 18 July 2004 285 days
32 Jim Lloyd 18 July 2004 3 December 2007 3 years, 138 days

Notes

1 Whitlam was one of a two-man ministry consisting of himself and Lance Barnard for two weeks until the full ministry was announced.

List of Ministers for the Capital Territory

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for the Capital Territory:[3]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Kep Enderby   Labor Whitlam Minister for the Capital Territory 19 December 1972 9 October 1973 294 days
2 Gordon Bryant 9 October 1973 11 November 1975 2 years, 33 days
3 Reg Withers   Liberal Fraser 11 November 1975 22 December 1975 41 days
4 Eric Robinson 22 December 1975 16 February 1976 56 days
5 Tony Staley 16 February 1976 20 December 1977 1 years, 307 days
6 Robert Ellicott 20 December 1977 3 November 1980 2 years, 319 days
7 Michael Hodgman 3 November 1980 11 March 1983 2 years, 128 days

List of ministers with responsibility for the Northern Territory

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for the Northern Territory, or any other similar title:[3]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Kep Enderby   Labor Whitlam Minister for the Northern Territory1 19 December 1972 19 October 1973 304 days
2 Rex Patterson1 19 October 1973 6 June 1975 2 years, 2 days
Minister for Northern Australia 6 June 1975 21 October 1975
3 Paul Keating 21 October 1975 11 November 1975 21 days
4 Ian Sinclair   National Country Fraser 11 November 1975 22 December 1975 41 days
5 Evan Adermann Minister for the Northern Territory 22 December 1975 28 September 1978 2 years, 280 days
6 Bob Collins   Labor Hawke Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Northern Australia 4 April 1990 20 December 1991 2 years, 53 days
Keating 20 December 1991 27 May 1992
7 Ben Humphreys 27 May 1992 24 March 1993 301 days

Notes

1 In 1972, Whitlam appointed both a Minister for the Northern Territory, Kip Enderby, and a Minister for Northern Development, Rex Patterson. From October 1973, Patterson held both titles, with the former title changing to Minister for Northern Australia. In October 1975, Patterson stood aside as Minister for Northern Australia, but remained as Minister for Northern Development until November 1975.[3]

Customs ministers

From 1901 to 1956 Customs was handled by the Minister for Trade and Customs. In 1956 Frederick Osborne was appointed Minister for Customs and Excise. Kep Enderby was appointed Minister for Police and Customs in 1975. In 1975 responsibility for customs was absorbed into the portfolio of the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs, John Howard. In May 1982, the portfolio of the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs was abolished and customs functions were transferred to the Minister for Industry and Commerce, Phillip Lynch. In January 1988, Barry Jones became responsible for customs as Minister for Science, Customs and Small Business within John Button's portfolio of Industry and Commerce and there were subsequently junior ministers responsible for customs within the industry portfolio until March 1993 and from March 1994 until December 2007, when customs became part of the responsibility of the Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Justice and Customs, or any precedent title:[3]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Charles Kingston   Protectionist Barton Minister for Trade and Customs 1 January 1901 24 July 1903 2 years, 204 days
2 William Lyne 11 August 1903 24 September 1903 260 days
Deakin 24 September 1903 27 April 1904
3 Andrew Fisher   Labor Watson 27 April 1904 17 August 1904 112 days
4 Allan McLean   Protectionist Reid 17 August 1904 5 July 1905 322 days
5 William Lyne Deakin 5 July 1905 30 July 1907 2 years, 25 days
6 Austin Chapman 30 July 1907 13 November 1908 1 years, 106 days
7 Frank Tudor   Labor Fisher 13 November 1908 2 June 1909 201 days
8 Robert Best   Protectionist Deakin 2 June 1909 29 April 1910 331 days
n/a Frank Tudor   Labor Fisher 29 April 1910 24 June 1913 3 years, 56 days
9 Littleton Groom   Commonwealth Liberal Cook 24 June 1913 17 September 1914 1 years, 85 days
n/a Frank Tudor   Labor Fisher 17 September 1914 27 October 1915 1 years, 363 days
Hughes 27 October 1915 14 September 1916
10 Billy Hughes 29 September 1916 14 November 1916 61 days
11 William Archibald   National Labor 14 November 1916 17 February 1917 95 days
12 Jens Jensen   Nationalist 17 February 1917 13 December 1918 1 years, 299 days
13 William Watt 13 December 1918 17 January 1919 35 days
14 Walter Massy-Greene 17 January 1919 21 December 1921 2 years, 338 days
15 Arthur Rodgers 21 December 1921 5 February 1923 1 years, 46 days
n/a Austin Chapman Bruce 9 February 1923 26 May 1924 1 years, 107 days
n/a Littleton Groom 29 May 1924 13 June 1924 15 days
16 Herbert Pratten 13 June 1924 7 May 1928 3 years, 329 days
17 Stanley Bruce 8 May 1928 24 November 1928 200 days
18 Henry Gullett 24 November 1928 22 October 1929 332 days
19 James Fenton   Labor Scullin 22 October 1929 4 February 1931 1 years, 105 days
20 Frank Forde 4 February 1931 6 January 1932 336 days
n/a Henry Gullett   United Australia Lyons 6 January 1932 14 January 1933 1 years, 8 days
21 Thomas White 14 January 1933 8 November 1938 5 years, 298 days
22 John Perkins 8 November 1938 7 April 1939 169 days
Page 7 April 1939 26 April 1939
23 John Lawson Menzies 26 April 1939 23 February 1940 303 days
24 Robert Menzies 23 February 1940 14 March 1940 20 days
25 George McLeay 14 March 1940 28 October 1940 228 days
26 Eric Harrison 28 October 1940 29 August 1941 344 days
Fadden 29 August 1941 7 October 1941
27 Richard Keane   Labor Curtin 7 October 1941 6 July 1945 4 years, 201 days
Forde 6 July 1945 13 July 1945
Chifley 13 July 1945 26 April 1946
28 John Dedman 26 April 1946 18 June 1946 53 days
29 James Fraser 18 June 1946 1 November 1946 136 days
30 Ben Courtice 1 November 1946 19 December 1949 3 years, 184 days
31 Neil O'Sullivan   Liberal Menzies 19 December 1949 11 January 1956 6 years, 23 days
32 Frederick Osborne Minister for Customs and Excise 11 January 1956 24 October 1956 287 days
33 Denham Henty 24 October 1956 10 June 1964 7 years, 230 days
34 Ken Anderson 10 June 1964 26 January 1966 3 years, 263 days
Holt 26 January 1966 19 December 1967
McEwen 19 December 1967 10 January 1968
Gorton 10 January 1968 28 February 1968
35 Malcolm Scott 28 February 1968 12 November 1969 1 years, 257 days
36 Don Chipp 12 November 1969 10 March 1971 3 years, 23 days
McMahon 10 March 1971 5 December 1972
37 Gough Whitlam1   Labor Whitlam 5 December 1972 19 December 1972 14 days
38 Lionel Murphy 19 December 1972 10 February 1975 2 years, 53 days
39 Kep Enderby 10 February 1975 27 March 1975 116 days
Minister for Police and Customs 27 March 1975 6 June 1975
40 Jim Cavanagh 6 June 1975 11 November 1975 158 days
41 Ivor Greenwood   Liberal Fraser 11 November 1975 22 December 1975 41 days
42 John Howard Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs 22 December 1975 17 July 1977 1 years, 207 days
43 Wal Fife 17 July 1977 8 December 1979 2 years, 144 days
44 Victor Garland 8 December 1979 3 November 1980 331 days
45 John Moore 3 November 1980 20 April 1982 1 years, 168 days
46 Neil Brown 20 April 1982 7 May 1982 17 days
47 Phillip Lynch Minister for Industry and Commerce 7 May 1982 11 October 1982 157 days
48 Andrew Peacock 11 October 1982 11 March 1983 151 days
49 John Button   Labor Hawke 11 March 1983 13 December 1984 4 years, 314 days
Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce 13 December 1984 19 January 1988
50 Barry Jones Minister for Science, Customs and Small Business 19 January 1988 4 April 1990 7 years, 24 days
51 David Beddall Minister for Small Business and Customs 4 April 1990 20 December 1991 2 years, 354 days
Keating 20 December 1991 27 December 1991
Minister for Small Business, Construction and Customs 27 December 1991 24 March 1993
52 Alan Griffiths Minister for Industry, Technology and Regional Development 24 March 1993 23 January 1994 305 days
53 Peter Cook 30 January 1994 25 March 1994 61 days
54 Chris Schacht Minister for Small Business, Customs and Construction 25 March 1994 11 March 1996 1 years, 352 days
55 Geoff Prosser   Liberal Howard Minister for Small Business and Consumer Affairs 11 March 1996 18 July 1997 1 years, 129 days
56 Chris Ellison Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs 18 July 1997 9 October 1997 83 days
57 Warren Truss   Nationals 9 October 1997 21 October 1998 1 years, 12 days
58 Amanda Vanstone   Liberal Minister for Justice and Customs 21 October 1998 30 January 2001 2 years, 101 days
59 Chris Ellison 30 January 2001 9 March 2007 6 years, 38 days
60 David Johnston 9 March 2007 3 December 2007 269 days

Notes

1 Whitlam was one of a two-man ministry consisting of himself and Lance Barnard for two weeks until the full ministry was announced.

References

  1. ↑ Attwood & Markus, p. 85.
  2. ↑ "Debus new Home Affairs Minister". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 30 November 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Ministries and Cabinets". 43rd Parliamentary Handbook: Historical information on the Australian Parliament. Parliament of Australia. 2010. Retrieved 28 September 2013.

Sources