Regional minister (New South Wales)

In New South Wales, regional ministers have been appointed since 1995 on a part-time basis as part of the Government of New South Wales. Each minister has other departmental responsibilities, as well as specific responsibilities for one of the regions of New South Wales. The ministries with regional responsibilities first appeared in 2000 during the Carr Labor Government with a position looking after the Central Coast, this would later be expanded by the Iemma Labor Government from 2005 and O'Farrell Coalition Government in 2011 to five different positions including Western Sydney. ^{[1] [2]}

In 2015, the number of ministers was reduced to just three ministers: the Minister for Regional Development, the Minister for Western New South Wales and the Minister for Western Sydney. ^[3] In the first Berejiklian ministry the portfolio of regional development changed to Regional New South Wales and a fourth regional portfolio created, Regional Water. Following the 2019 state election the ministries were rearranged, with the portfolio of Regional Water abolished and two new regional portfolios, Regional Transport and Roads and Regional Youth, bringing the total to five with effect from 2 April 2019. ^[4] A sixth portfolio, Regional Health, was created in the second Perrottet ministry. ^[2]

Current ministers

Central Coast

Title	Minister [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister Assisting the Premier for the Central Coast	John Della Bosca		Labor	Carr (3)	31 March 2000	2 April 2003	4 years, 296 days
Minister for the Central Coast				Carr (4)	2 April 2003	21 January 2005
	Grant McBride			Iemma (1)	21 January 2005	2 April 2007	2 years, 71 days
	John Della Bosca			Iemma (2)	2 April 2007	1 September 2009	2 years, 152 days
	John Hatzistergos			Rees	1 September 2009	14 September 2009	13 days
	Nathan Rees			Keneally	14 September 2009	8 December 2009	85 days
	Ian Macdonald				8 December 2009	5 June 2010	179 days
	John Robertson				5 June 2010	28 March 2011	296 days
	Chris Hartcher		Liberal	O'Farrell	3 April 2011	4 December 2013	2 years, 245 days
	Mike Gallacher			O'Farrell Baird (1)	9 December 2013	2 May 2014	144 days
	Rob Stokes			Baird (1)	6 May 2014	2 April 2015	331 days
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter and Central Coast	Scot MacDonald			Baird (2)	24 April 2015	23 January 2017	1 year, 274 days
Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and the Central Coast				Berejiklian (1)	1 February 2017	5 April 2017	63 days
Parliamentary Secretary for Planning, the Central Coast and the Hunter					5 April 2017	1 March 2019	1 year, 330 days
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast	Adam Crouch		Liberal	Berejiklian (2) Perrottet (1)	20 December 2019	21 December 2021	3 years, 98 days	[5]
				Perrottet (2)	21 December 2021	28 March 2023
Minister for the Central Coast	David Harris		Labor	Minns	5 April 2023	incumbent	2 years, 161 days

Hunter

Title	Minister [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister Assisting the Premier on Hunter Development	Richard Face		Labor	Carr (1) (2) (3)	4 April 1995	13 February 2003	7 years, 315 days
	Michael Egan			Carr (4)	13 February 2003	2 April 2003	48 days
Minister for the Hunter	Michael Costa			Carr (4) Iemma (1) (2)	2 April 2003	8 September 2008	5 years, 159 days
	Jodi McKay			Rees Keneally	8 September 2008	28 March 2011	2 years, 201 days
	Mike Gallacher		Liberal	O'Farrell	3 April 2011	18 December 2013	2 years, 259 days
	George Souris		National		18 December 2013	17 April 2014	120 days
	Gladys Berejiklian		Liberal	Baird (1)	23 April 2014	2 April 2015	344 days
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter and Central Coast	Scot MacDonald			Baird (2)	24 April 2015	23 January 2017	1 year, 274 days
Parliamentary Secretary for Planning, the Central Coast and the Hunter				Berejiklian (1)	5 April 2017	1 March 2019	1 year, 330 days
Minister for the Hunter	Tim Crakanthorp		Labor	Minns	5 April 2023	3 August 2023	120 days
	Yasmin Catley				3 August 2023	incumbent	2 years, 41 days

Illawarra and South Coast

Creation of the role of 'Minister for the Illawarra' was a Labor election commitment in 2003. When the portfolio was abolished in 2015, the region's main newspaper, the Illawarra Mercury , noted that all but one of the men to hold the title later departed politics under a cloud: "The now-defunct ministry has been something of a poisoned chalice over the past 12 years, with five of the six ministers who have held the position being disgraced, sacked or forced to resign over their behaviour." ^[6]

Labor's David Campbell, the first Minister for the Illawarra, quit politics after being filmed leaving a gay bath-house in Sydney. His successor Matt Brown quit following allegations (denied by Brown) that he'd simulated a sex act and danced in his underpants at a function in Parliament House. Paul McLeay quit cabinet after admitting to using a parliamentary computer to visit gambling and porn websites. Eric Roozendaal was a target of the Independent Commission Against Corruption's Operation Indus due to his dealings with disgraced former minister Eddie Obeid, but was cleared in 2013. Greg Pearce, the first Liberal to hold the post, was dumped from the O'Farrell ministry in 2013 amid claims (denied by Pearce) that he had attended parliament drunk – officially, for failing to declare a conflict of interest in relation to a board appointment. The last Minister for the Illawarra, the Liberal party's John Ajaka, "managed to break the portfolio’s curse," however. ^[6] Following the 2023 New South Wales state election, the ministry was reestablished under Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns who appointed Ryan Park who is also the Minister for Health.

Title	Minister [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister for the Illawarra	David Campbell		Labor	Carr (4) Iemma (1) (2)	2 April 2003	5 September 2008	5 years, 156 days
	Matt Brown			Rees	8 September 2008	11 September 2008	3 days
	David Campbell				11 September 2008	4 December 2009	1 year, 84 days
	Paul McLeay			Keneally	8 December 2009	1 September 2010	267 days
	Eric Roozendaal				6 September 2010	28 March 2011	203 days
	Greg Pearce		Liberal	O'Farrell	3 April 2011	2 August 2013	2 years, 121 days
	John Ajaka				2 August 2013	23 April 2014	264 days
				Baird (1)	23 April 2014	2 April 2015	344 days
Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast	Ryan Park		Labor	Minns	28 March 2023	incumbent	2 years, 169 days

North Coast

Title	Minister [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister for the North Coast	Don Page		National	O'Farrell	3 April 2011	23 April 2014	3 years, 20 days
	Andrew Stoner			Baird (1)	23 April 2014	17 October 2014	177 days
	Duncan Gay				17 October 2014	2 April 2015	167 days
	Rose Jackson		Labor	Minns	5 April 2023	17 March 2025	2 years, 161 days	[7]
	Janelle Saffin				17 March 2025	Incumbent	180 days	[8]

Regional New South Wales

This section is an excerpt from Minister for Regional New South Wales § Regional New South Wales.[ edit ]

The following individuals have served as Minister for Regional New South Wales or any precedent titles:

Title	Minister  [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister for Regional Development	Ray Chappell		National	Fahey (3)	26 May 1993	4 April 1995	1 year, 313 days
Minister for Small Business and Regional Development	Carl Scully		Labor	Carr (1)	4 April 1995	15 December 1995	255 days
Minister for State and Regional Development	Michael Egan				15 December 1995	1 December 1997	1 year, 351 days
Minister for Regional Development	Harry Woods			Carr (2) (3)	1 December 1997	2 April 2003	5 years, 122 days
	David Campbell			Carr (4) Iemma (1)	2 April 2003	2 April 2007	4 years, 0 days
	Tony Kelly			Iemma (2)	2 April 2007	5 September 2008	1 year, 156 days
	Phil Costa			Rees	8 September 2008	4 December 2009	1 year, 87 days
Minister for State and Regional Development	Ian Macdonald			Keneally	8 December 2009	5 June 2010	179 days
	Eric Roozendaal				5 June 2010	28 March 2011	296 days
Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Services	Andrew Stoner		National	O'Farrell Baird (1)	28 March 2011	17 October 2014	3 years, 203 days
	Troy Grant			Baird (1)	17 October 2014	2 April 2015	167 days
Minister for Regional Development	John Barilaro			Baird (2)	2 April 2015	30 January 2017	6 years, 187 days
Minister for Regional New South Wales				Berejiklian (1)	30 January 2017	2 April 2019
Minister for Regional New South Wales, Industry and Trade				Berejiklian (2)	2 April 2019	6 October 2021		[9]
Minister for Regional New South Wales	Paul Toole			Perrottet (1) (2)	6 October 2021	28 March 2023	1 year, 173 days	[10] [11]
	Tara Moriarty		Labor	Minns	5 April 2023	incumbent	2 years, 161 days

Regional Health

This section is an excerpt from Minister for Regional Health § List of ministers.[ edit ]

The following individuals have served as Minister for regional health, or any precedent titles:

Title	Minister [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister for Regional Health	Bronnie Taylor		National	Perrottet (2)	21 December 2021	28 March 2023	1 year, 97 days	[12]
Minister for Health and Regional Health	Ryan Park		Labor	Minns	28 March 2023	5 April 2023	2 years, 169 days
Minister for Regional Health					5 April 2023	incumbent

Regional Transport and Roads

This section is an excerpt from Minister for Regional Transport § List of ministers.[ edit ]

The following individuals have been appointed as Ministers for Regional Transport, or any precedent title. ^[2]

Ministerial title	Minister  [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads	Paul Toole		National	Berejiklian (2) Perrottet (1)	2 April 2019	21 December 2021	2 years, 263 days	[13]
	Sam Farraway			Perrottet (2)	21 December 2021	28 March 2023	1 year, 97 days	[14]
	Jenny Aitchison		Labor	Minns	5 April 2023	17 March 2025	2 years, 161 days	[15]
Minister for Regional Transport					17 March 2025	incumbent

Western New South Wales

This section is an excerpt from Minister for Western New South Wales § List of ministers.[ edit ]

The following individuals have served as Minister for Western New South Wales, or any precedent titles:

Title	Minister [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister for Western New South Wales	Kevin Humphries		National	O'Farrell Baird (1)	3 April 2011	2 April 2015	3 years, 364 days
Minister for Agriculture and Western New South Wales	Adam Marshall		National	Berejiklian (2) Perrottet (1)	2 April 2019	21 December 2021	2 years, 263 days	[16]
Minister for Western New South Wales	Dugald Saunders			Perrottet (2)	21 December 2021	28 March 2023	1 year, 97 days	[17]
	Tara Moriarty		Labor	Minns	5 April 2023	Incumbent	2 years, 161 days

Western Sydney

This section is an excerpt from Minister for Western Sydney § List of ministers.[ edit ]

The following individuals have served as Minister for Western Sydney, or any precedent titles:

Title	Minister [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister for Western Sydney	Kim Yeadon		Labor	Carr (3)	8 April 1999	2 April 2003	3 years, 359 days
	Diane Beamer			Carr (4) Iemma (1)	2 April 2003	2 April 2007	4 years, 0 days
	Graham West			Iemma (2)	2 April 2007	11 April 2007	9 days
	Barbara Perry				11 April 2007	8 September 2008	1 year, 150 days
	David Borger			Rees Keneally	8 September 2008	28 March 2011	2 years, 201 days
	Barry O'Farrell		Liberal	O'Farrell	3 April 2011	23 April 2014	3 years, 364 days
	Mike Baird			Baird (1) (2)	23 April 2014	23 January 2017	1 year, 296 days
	Stuart Ayres			Berejiklian (1)	30 January 2017	23 March 2019	5 years, 185 days
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney				Berejiklian (2) Perrottet (1)	2 April 2019	21 December 2021		[18]
Minister for Western Sydney				Perrottet (2)	21 December 2021	3 August 2022		[19]
	David Elliott				5 August 2022	28 March 2023	235 days	[20]
	Prue Car		Labor	Minns	5 April 2023	incumbent	2 years, 161 days

Assistant ministers

Title	Minister [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister Assisting the Premier on Western Sydney	Kim Yeadon		Labor	Carr (1) (2)	1 December 1997	8 April 1999	1 year, 128 days
Minister Assisting the Premier on Western Sydney	Stuart Ayres		Liberal	O'Farrell Baird (1)	9 December 2013	2 April 2015	1 year, 114 days

Former ministerial titles

Redfern-Waterloo

Title	Minister [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister for Redfern-Waterloo	Frank Sartor		Labor	Iemma (1) (2)	3 August 2005	8 September 2008	3 years, 36 days
	Kristina Keneally			Rees Keneally	8 September 2008	28 March 2011	2 years, 201 days

Regional Youth

This section is an excerpt from Minister for Youth (New South Wales) § List of ministers.[ edit ]

The following individuals have been appointed Minister for Youth or any precedent titles:

Title	Minister [2]	Party		Ministry	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Minister for Child Welfare Minister for Social Welfare	Frank Hawkins		Labor	Cahill (3) (4) Heffron (1) (2) Renshaw	15 March 1956	13 May 1965	9 years, 59 days
	Arthur Bridges		Liberal	Askin (1)	13 May 1965	22 May 1968	3 years, 9 days
	Harry Jago			Askin (2)	23 May 1968	3 September 1968	103 days
	Frederick Hewitt			Askin (2) (3)	3 September 1968	11 March 1971	2 years, 189 days
	John Lloyd Waddy			Askin (4)	11 March 1971	17 January 1973	1 year, 312 days
Minister for Youth and Community Services				Askin (5)	17 January 1973	3 December 1973	320 days
	Dick Healey			Askin (6)	3 December 1973	3 January 1975	1 year, 31 days
Minister for Youth, Ethnic and Community Affairs	Steve Mauger			Lewis (1) (2)	3 January 1975	23 January 1976	1 year, 20 days
	Jim Clough			Willis	23 January 1976	14 May 1976	112 days
Minister for Youth and Community Services	Rex Jackson		Labor	Wran (1) (2) (3)	14 May 1976	2 October 1981	5 years, 141 days
	Kevin Stewart			Wran (4)	2 October 1981	1 February 1983	1 year, 122 days
	Frank Walker			Wran (5) (6) (7)	1 February 1983	6 February 1986	3 years, 5 days
	Peter Anderson			Wran (8)	6 February 1986	4 July 1986	148 days
	John Aquilina			Unsworth	4 July 1986	25 March 1988	1 year, 265 days
Minister for Education and Youth Affairs	Terry Metherell		Liberal	Greiner (1)	25 March 1988	20 July 1990	2 years, 117 days
Minister for School Education and Youth Affairs	Virginia Chadwick			Greiner (1) (2) Fahey (1) (2)	24 July 1990	26 May 1993	2 years, 306 days
Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs				Fahey (3)	26 May 1993	4 April 1995	1 year, 313 days
Minister Assisting the Premier on Youth Affairs	John Aquilina		Labor	Carr (1) (2)	26 July 1995	8 April 1999	3 years, 256 days
	Carmel Tebbutt			Carr (3)	8 April 1999	2 April 2003	3 years, 359 days
Minister for Youth				Carr (4)	2 April 2003	21 January 2005	1 year, 294 days
	Reba Meagher			Iemma (1)	21 January 2005	2 April 2007	2 years, 71 days
	Linda Burney			Iemma (2)	2 April 2007	8 September 2008	1 year, 159 days
	Graham West			Rees	8 September 2008	8 December 2009	1 year, 91 days
	Peter Primrose			Keneally	8 December 2009	28 March 2011	1 year, 110 days
Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women	Bronnie Taylor		National	Berejiklian (2) Perrottet (1)	2 April 2019	21 December 2021	2 years, 263 days	[21]
Minister for Regional Youth	Ben Franklin			Perrottet (2)	21 December 2021	28 March 2023	1 year, 97 days	[22]
Minister for Education and Early Learning	Prue Car		Labor	Minns	28 March 2023	5 April 2023	8 days
Minister for Youth	Rose Jackson				5 April 2023	incumbent	2 years, 161 days

See also

• New South Wales portal
• Politics portal

• List of New South Wales government agencies

References

1. "New faces: O'Farrell launches super-ministries". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
2. "Part 6 Ministries since 1856" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales . Retrieved 23 March 2022.
3. Hasham, Nicole (3 April 2015). "Premier Mike Baird's new NSW cabinet sworn in: Gladys Berejiklian and Gabrielle Upton first female Treasurer and Attorney-General". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 6 April 2015.
4. "Government Notices (30)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 2 April 2019. p. 1088-1090. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
5. "Adam Crouch appointed Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast". Coast Community News. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
6. McIlwain, Kate (2 April 2015) [1 April 2025]. "Kiama MP Gareth Ward appointed parliamentary secretary for the Illawarra" . Illawarra Mercury. Archived from the original on 13 September 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
7. "The Hon. Rose Jackson, MLC". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales . Retrieved 18 March 2025.
8. "The Hon. Janelle Anne Saffin, MP". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales . Retrieved 18 March 2025.
9. "Government Notices (30)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 2 April 2019. p. 1088-1090. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
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12. "Parliament, Ministerial, Courts and Police (662)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 21 December 2021.
13. "The Hon. Paul Lawrence Toole". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales . Retrieved 24 March 2022.
14. "Parliament, Ministerial, Courts and Police (662)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 21 December 2021.
15. "Parliament, Ministerial, Courts and Police (161)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 5 April 2023.
16. "Government Notices (30)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 2 April 2019. p. 1088-1090. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
17. "Parliament, Ministerial, Courts and Police (662)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 21 December 2021.
18. "Government Notices (30)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 2 April 2019. p. 1088-1090. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
19. "Parliament, Ministerial, Courts and Police (662)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 21 December 2021.
20. Department of Premier and Cabinet (3 August 2022). "Changes to NSW ministerial arrangements". NSW Government. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
21. "Government Notices (30)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 2 April 2019. p. 1088-1090. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
22. "Parliament, Ministerial, Courts and Police (662)" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 21 December 2021.