Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)

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Minister for Home Affairs
Coat of Arms of Australia.svg
Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Flag of Australia
Tony Burke.jpg
Incumbent
Tony Burke
since 29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)
Department of Home Affairs
Appointer Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holder William Lyne
Formation1 January 1901 (1901-01-01)
Website minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/ministers-for-home-affairs/the-hon-tony-burke-mp

The Minister for Home Affairs is the minister in the Australian government responsible for the Department of Home Affairs, the country's interior ministry. The current minister is Tony Burke of the Labor Party, who has held the position since July 2024 in the Albanese ministry.

Contents

The current Department of Home Affairs was created in December 2017. The first department with that name was created in 1901, as one of the original six departments created at Federation, and was responsible for a wide range of areas not captured by the other departments. Similar departments have existed in almost all subsequent governments, under several different names. The specific title "Minister for Home Affairs" has been created six times – in 1901, 1929, 1977, 1987, 2007 and 2017.

History

The 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 Minister for the Interior existed from 1932 to 1972. The Territories of Australia portfolio has been the responsibility for the varying titles of the Minister for Territories.

The Home Affairs Ministry was re-established in 2007, assuming the responsibilities of the Minister for Justice and Customs within the Attorney-General's Department with policy responsibilities for criminal justice, law enforcement, border control and national security and with oversight responsibilities of the Australian Customs Service and the Border Protection Command, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Crime Commission, and the Office of Film and Literature Classification. [1]

From September 2010 to September 2013, the Minister for Home Affairs also held the position of Minister for Justice. In September 2013 with the change of government, the position Minister for Home Affairs was disbanded and its responsibilities were assumed by the newly created Minister for Immigration and Border Protection for border control and by the Minister for Justice for law enforcement.

On 18 July 2017, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the creation of a new home affairs department to be headed by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, with responsibility for immigration, border control, domestic security, and law enforcement. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

On 20 December 2017, Governor-General Peter Cosgrove swore Dutton into the position of Minister for Home Affairs. The Home Affairs portfolio was formed by way of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 20 December 2017 [7] with responsibilities for national security including cybersecurity and counterterrorism, law enforcement, emergency management, transport security, immigration, citizenship, border control, and multicultural affairs.

List of ministers for home affairs

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Home Affairs, or any of its related titles: [8]

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1 Sir William Lyne, KCMG   Protectionist Barton Minister for Home Affairs1 January 190111 August 19032 years, 222 days
2 Sir John Forrest, KCMG 11 August 190324 September 1903260 days
Deakin 24 September 190327 April 1904
3 Lee Batchelor   Labor Watson 27 April 190417 August 1904112 days
4 Dugald Thomson   Free Trade Reid 17 August 19045 July 1905322 days
5 Littleton Groom, KC  ProtectionistDeakin5 July 190512 October 19061 year, 99 days
6 Thomas Ewing 12 October 190624 January 1907104 days
7 John Keating 24 January 190713 November 19081 year, 294 days
8 Hugh Mahon  Labor Fisher 13 November 19082 June 1909201 days
9 George Fuller   Liberal Deakin2 June 190929 April 1910331 days
10 King O'Malley  LaborFisher29 April 191024 June 19133 years, 56 days
11 Joseph Cook  Liberal Cook 24 June 191317 September 19141 year, 85 days
12 William Archibald  LaborFisher17 September 191427 October 19151 year, 40 days
(10)King O'Malley Hughes 27 October 191514 November 19161 year, 18 days
13 Fred Bamford   National Labor Minister for Home and Territories14 November 191617 February 191795 days
14 Paddy Glynn, KC   Nationalist 17 February 19173 February 19202 years, 351 days
15 Alexander Poynton, OBE 3 February 192021 December 19211 year, 321 days
16 George Pearce 21 December 19219 February 19234 years, 179 days
Bruce 9 February 192318 June 1926
17 Sir William Glasgow, KCB , CMG , DSO , VD 18 June 19262 April 1927288 days
18 Charles Marr, DSO , MC 2 April 192724 February 1928328 days
19 Sir Neville Howse, VC , KCB , KCMG 24 February 192829 November 1928279 days
20 Aubrey Abbott   Country 29 November 192822 October 1929327 days
21 Arthur Blakeley  Labor Scullin Minister for Home Affairs22 October 19296 January 19322 years, 76 days
22 Sir Archdale Parkhill, KCMG   United Australia Lyons 6 January 193212 April 193297 days
23 Robert Ellicott, QC   Liberal Fraser Minister for Home Affairs20 December 19773 November 19803 years, 59 days
Minister for Home Affairs and Environment3 November 198017 February 1981
24 Michael MacKellar 17 February 198119 March 198130 days
25 Ian Wilson 19 March 19817 May 19821 year, 49 days
26 Tom McVeigh   National Country 7 May 198216 October 1982308 days
National 16 October 198211 March 1983
27 Barry Cohen  Labor Hawke 11 March 198313 December 19841 year, 277 days
28 Robert Ray  LaborHawkeMinister for Home Affairs24 July 19872 September 19881 year, 40 days
29 Bob Debus  Labor Rudd Minister for Home Affairs3 December 20079 June 20091 year, 188 days
30 Brendan O'Connor 9 June 200924 June 20102 years, 188 days
Gillard 24 June 201014 December 2011
31 Jason Clare 14 December 201127 June 20131 year, 278 days
Rudd27 June 201318 September 2013
32 Peter Dutton   Liberal Turnbull Minister for Home Affairs20 December 201724 August 20183 years, 100 days
Morrison 24 August 201830 March 2021
33 Karen Andrews 1 30 March 202123 May 20221 year, 54 days
Scott Morrison 1 [9] 6 May 202123 May 20221 year, 17 days
* Jim Chalmers (Interim)  Labor Albanese 23 May 20221 June 20229 days
34 Clare O'Neil 1 June 202229 July 20242 years, 58 days
35 Tony Burke 29 July 2024incumbent1 day
1 Morrison was appointed as Minister for Home Affairs by the Governor-General on Morrison's advice in May 2021, with both Morrison and Andrews holding the position of Minister for Home Affairs until May 2022. However, the appointment of Morrison was not made public until August 2022.

Former ministerial titles

List of ministers for customs

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. Between September 2013 and December 2017, it was the responsibility of the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.

The following individuals have held responsibility for customs: [8]

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1 Charles Kingston   Protectionist Barton Minister for Trade and Customs1 January 190124 July 19032 years, 204 days
2 William Lyne 11 August 190324 September 1903260 days
Deakin 24 September 190327 April 1904
3 Andrew Fisher   Labor Watson 27 April 190417 August 1904112 days
4 Allan McLean  Protectionist Reid 17 August 19045 July 1905322 days
5 William Lyne Deakin5 July 190530 July 19072 years, 25 days
6 Austin Chapman 30 July 190713 November 19081 year, 106 days
7 Frank Tudor  LaborFisher13 November 19082 June 1909201 days
8 Robert Best  ProtectionistDeakin2 June 190929 April 1910331 days
n/aFrank Tudor LaborFisher29 April 191024 June 19133 years, 56 days
9 Littleton Groom   Commonwealth Liberal Cook 24 June 191317 September 19141 year, 85 days
n/aFrank Tudor LaborFisher17 September 191427 October 19151 year, 363 days
Hughes 27 October 191514 September 1916
10 Billy Hughes 29 September 191614 November 191661 days
11 William Archibald   National Labor 14 November 191617 February 191795 days
12 Jens Jensen   Nationalist 17 February 191713 December 19181 year, 299 days
13 William Watt 13 December 191817 January 191935 days
14 Walter Massy-Greene 17 January 191921 December 19212 years, 338 days
15 Arthur Rodgers 21 December 19215 February 19231 year, 46 days
n/aAustin Chapman Bruce 9 February 192326 May 19241 year, 107 days
n/aLittleton Groom29 May 192413 June 192415 days
16 Herbert Pratten 13 June 19247 May 19283 years, 329 days
17 Stanley Bruce 8 May 192824 November 1928200 days
18 Henry Gullett 24 November 192822 October 1929332 days
19 James Fenton  Labor Scullin 22 October 19294 February 19311 year, 105 days
20 Frank Forde 4 February 19316 January 1932336 days
n/aHenry Gullett  United Australia Lyons 6 January 193214 January 19331 year, 8 days
21 Thomas White 14 January 19338 November 19385 years, 298 days
22 John Perkins 8 November 19387 April 1939169 days
Page 7 April 193926 April 1939
23 John Lawson Menzies 26 April 193923 February 1940303 days
24 Robert Menzies 23 February 194014 March 194020 days
25 George McLeay 14 March 194028 October 1940228 days
26 Eric Harrison 28 October 194029 August 1941344 days
Fadden 29 August 19417 October 1941
27 Richard Keane  Labor Curtin 7 October 19416 July 19454 years, 201 days
Forde 6 July 194513 July 1945
Chifley 13 July 194526 April 1946
28 John Dedman 26 April 194618 June 194653 days
29 James Fraser 18 June 19461 November 1946136 days
30 Ben Courtice 1 November 194619 December 19493 years, 184 days
31 Neil O'Sullivan   Liberal Menzies19 December 194911 January 19566 years, 23 days
32 Frederick Osborne Minister for Customs and Excise11 January 195624 October 1956287 days
33 Denham Henty 24 October 195610 June 19647 years, 230 days
34 Ken Anderson 10 June 196426 January 19663 years, 263 days
Holt 26 January 196619 December 1967
McEwen 19 December 196710 January 1968
Gorton 10 January 196828 February 1968
35 Malcolm Scott 28 February 196812 November 19691 year, 257 days
36 Don Chipp 12 November 196910 March 19713 years, 23 days
McMahon 10 March 19715 December 1972
37 Gough Whitlam 1  Labor Whitlam 5 December 197219 December 197214 days
38 Lionel Murphy 19 December 197210 February 19752 years, 53 days
39 Kep Enderby 10 February 197527 March 1975116 days
Minister for Police and Customs27 March 19756 June 1975
40 Jim Cavanagh 6 June 197511 November 1975158 days
41 Ivor Greenwood  Liberal Fraser 11 November 197522 December 197541 days
42 John Howard Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs22 December 197517 July 19771 year, 207 days
43 Wal Fife 17 July 19778 December 19792 years, 144 days
44 Victor Garland 8 December 19793 November 1980331 days
45 John Moore 3 November 198020 April 19821 year, 168 days
46 Neil Brown 20 April 19827 May 198217 days
47 Phillip Lynch Minister for Industry and Commerce7 May 198211 October 1982157 days
48 Andrew Peacock 11 October 198211 March 1983151 days
49 John Button  Labor Hawke 11 March 198313 December 19844 years, 314 days
Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce13 December 198419 January 1988
50 Barry Jones Minister for Science, Customs and Small Business19 January 19884 April 19907 years, 24 days
51 David Beddall Minister for Small Business and Customs4 April 199020 December 19912 years, 354 days
Keating 20 December 199127 December 1991
Minister for Small Business, Construction and Customs27 December 199124 March 1993
52 Alan Griffiths Minister for Industry, Technology and Regional Development24 March 199323 January 1994305 days
53 Peter Cook 30 January 199425 March 199461 days
54 Chris Schacht Minister for Small Business, Customs and Construction25 March 199411 March 19961 year, 352 days
55 Geoff Prosser  Liberal Howard Minister for Small Business and Consumer Affairs11 March 199618 July 19971 year, 129 days
56 Chris Ellison Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs18 July 19979 October 199783 days
57 Warren Truss   Nationals 9 October 199721 October 19981 year, 12 days
58 Amanda Vanstone  LiberalMinister for Justice and Customs21 October 199830 January 20012 years, 101 days
59 Chris Ellison 30 January 20019 March 20076 years, 38 days
60 David Johnston 9 March 20073 December 2007269 days
61 Bob Debus  Labor Rudd Minister for Home Affairs3 December 20079 June 20091 year, 188 days
62 Brendan O'Connor 9 June 200924 June 20102 years, 188 days
Gillard 24 June 201014 December 2011
63 Jason Clare 14 December 201127 June 20131 year, 278 days
Rudd27 June 201318 September 2013
64 Scott Morrison Liberal Abbott Minister for Immigration and Border Protection18 September 201323 December 20141 year, 96 days
65 Peter Dutton 23 December 201415 September 20153 years, 241 days
Turnbull 15 September 201521 August 2018

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 assistant ministers for home affairs

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Home Affairs, or any of its related titles: [8]

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
For previous appointments, see the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
1 Alex Hawke Liberal Turnbull Assistant Minister for Home Affairs20 December 201728 August 2018251 days
2 Linda Reynolds CSC Morrison 28 August 20182 March 2019186 days

List of assistant ministers for customs, community safety and multicultural affairs

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs, or any of its related titles: [8]

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1 Jason Wood Liberal Morrison Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs29 May 201922 May 20225 years, 62 days

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Debus new Home Affairs Minister". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 30 November 2007. Archived from the original on 16 May 2009. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
  2. ↑ "Home Affairs agencies will retain statutory independence: Turnbull". The Mandarin . 18 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "Malcolm Turnbull announces Home Affairs super-ministry run by Peter Dutton". ABC News . Australia. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  4. ↑ "Peter Dutton given control of new home affairs super ministry". The Guardian . 18 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  5. ↑ Wroe, David (17 July 2017). "Peter Dutton to head merged ASIO, AFP and Border Force super security department". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  6. ↑ "A Strong and Secure Australia". Prime Minister of Australia. 18 July 2017. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Administrative Arrangements Order" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . Commonwealth of Australia. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Ministries and Cabinets". 43rd Parliamentary Handbook: Historical information on the Australian Parliament. Parliament of Australia. 2010. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Anthony Albanese reveals former prime minister Scott Morrison secretly appointed himself to five ministries in power grab". ABC News. 16 August 2022.
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