The Minister for Justice was a portfolio in the Australian government between 18 September 1987, when the post was held by Michael Tate, and 20 December 2017, when the last incumbent of the office was Michael Keenan. Keenan was appointed to the post on 18 September 2013. Following a rearrangement of the Second Turnbull Ministry in December 2017, the post was subsumed into the newly-established portfolio of the Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity, part of the Home Affairs portfolio. [1] [2]
The former minister was responsible for certain matters relating to criminal justice, law enforcement and national security including the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. The Minister for Justice was a junior minister who supported the Attorney-General, and previously administered the portfolio through the Attorney-General's Department.[ citation needed ]
From October 1998 to December 2007, the Minister for Justice was responsible for border control and the Australian Customs Service. From September 2010 to September 2013 the Minister for Justice also held the position of Minister for Home Affairs with broad responsibilities within the Attorney-General's Department.[ citation needed ]
The following individuals were appointed as Minister for Justice, or any of its precedent titles: [3]
| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kep Enderby | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Police and Customs | 27 March 1975 | 6 June 1975 | 71 days | |
| 2 | Jim Cavanagh | 6 June 1975 | 11 November 1975 | 158 days | ||||
| 3 | Ivor Greenwood | Liberal | Fraser | 11 November 1975 | 22 December 1975 | 41 days | ||
| 4 | Michael Tate | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Justice | 18 September 1987 | 4 April 1990 | 5 years, 187 days | |
| Minister for Justice and Consumer Affairs | 4 April 1990 | 20 December 1991 | ||||||
| Keating | 20 December 1991 | 27 May 1992 | ||||||
| Minister for Justice | 27 May 1992 | 24 March 1993 | ||||||
| 5 | Duncan Kerr | 24 March 1993 | 11 March 1996 | 2 years, 353 days | ||||
| 6 | Daryl Williams | Liberal | Howard | 11 March 1996 | 9 October 1997 | 1 year, 212 days | ||
| 7 | Amanda Vanstone | 9 October 1997 | 21 October 1998 | 3 years, 113 days | ||||
| Minister for Justice and Customs | 21 October 1998 | 30 January 2001 | ||||||
| 8 | Chris Ellison | 30 January 2001 | 9 March 2007 | 6 years, 38 days | ||||
| 9 | David Johnston | 9 March 2007 | 3 December 2007 | 269 days | ||||
| 10 | Brendan O'Connor | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Justice | 14 September 2010 | 14 December 2011 | 1 year, 91 days | |
| 11 | Jason Clare | 14 December 2011 | 1 July 2013 | 1 year, 278 days | ||||
| Rudd | 1 July 2013 | 18 September 2013 | ||||||
| 12 | Michael Keenan | Liberal | Abbott | 18 September 2013 | 15 September 2015 | 4 years, 93 days | ||
| Turnbull | 15 September 2015 | 20 December 2017 | ||||||
| For subsequent appointments, see the Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity | ||||||||
Peter Dutton will become Minister for Home Affairs, for the first time bringing together the nation's security, border and intelligence agencies under one department. As Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton will be supported by two Ministers: Angus Taylor as Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity and Alan Tudge as Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. He will also continue to have the assistance of Alex Hawke as Assistant Minister for Home Affairs. The Department of Home Affairs will keep Australians safer by ensuring full coordination between ASIO, the AFP, Australian Border Force, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and AUSTRAC. It will also contribute enormously to nation building through its focus on our immigration program.