Minister for Forestry (Western Australia)

The Minister for Forestry is a position in the Cabinet of Western Australia. The minister is responsible for the Forest Products Commission, an agency of the government of Western Australia, and may hold other portfolios in addition to forestry. The current Minister for Forestry is Jackie Jarvis of the Labor Party, who holds the position as a member of the Cook Labor Government.

The responsibilities now incorporated in the portfolio were originally held by the Colonial Secretary, and subsequently the Minister for Lands. A separate Minister for Forests was not appointed until the 1917 Lefroy Ministry, with the inaugural minister being Robert Robinson. From the late 1950s to the early 1980s the forests and lands portfolios were generally held by the same person, and for a brief period during the Court Ministry the two portfolios were merged, under the title Minister for Lands and Forests. The portfolio was again merged with others during the late 1980s and 1990s, with the minister responsible for forestry known as the Minister for Conservation and Land Management from 1985 to 1993 and as the Minister for Primary Industries from 1993 to 2001. Although the portfolio has since then often been held by the Minister for Agriculture or the Minister for Fisheries, it has been once again a standalone portfolio since 2006.

List of ministers for forestry

Twenty people have been appointed as Minister for Forestry (or equivalent) in Western Australia, with William Bovell's 11 years and 335 days the longest time period in the position. In the table below, members of the Legislative Council are designated "MLC". All others were members of the Legislative Assembly at the time of their service. In Western Australia, serving ministers are entitled to be styled "The Honourable", and may retain the style after three years' service in the ministry.

Order	Minister	Party		Premier	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Robert Robinson		Nationalist	Lefroy	Minister for Woods and Forests	28 June 1917 (1917-06-28)	17 April 1919 (1919-04-17)	1 year, 358 days
				Colebatch	Minister for Forests	17 April 1919 (1919-04-17)	17 May 1919 (1919-05-17)
				Mitchell		17 May 1919 (1919-05-17)	21 June 1919 (1919-06-21)
2	John Scaddan		Nationalist	Mitchell	Minister for Forests	24 April 1930 (1930-04-24)	24 April 1933 (1933-04-24)	3 years, 0 days
3	John Willcock		Labor	Willcock	Minister for Forests	20 August 1936 (1936-08-20)	9 December 1943 (1943-12-09)	7 years, 111 days
4	Ross McLarty		Liberal	McLarty	Minister for Forests	1 April 1947 (1947-04-01)	5 January 1948 (1948-01-05)	279 days
5	Robert McDonald		Liberal			5 January 1948 (1948-01-05)	7 October 1949 (1949-10-07)	1 year, 275 days
– (4)	Ross McLarty		Liberal			7 October 1949 (1949-10-07)	24 October 1950 (1950-10-24)	1 year, 17 days
5	Gerald Wild		Liberal			24 October 1950 (1950-10-24)	23 February 1953 (1953-02-23)	2 years, 122 days
6	Herb Graham		Labor	Hawke		23 February 1953 (1953-02-23)	2 April 1959 (1959-04-02)	6 years, 38 days
7	William Bovell		Liberal	Brand		2 April 1959 (1959-04-02)	3 March 1971 (1971-03-03)	11 years, 335 days
8	Tom Evans		Labor	Tonkin		3 March 1971 (1971-03-03)	12 October 1971 (1971-10-12)	223 days
9	David Evans					12 October 1971 (1971-10-12)	8 April 1974 (1974-04-08)	2 years, 178 days
10	Alan Ridge		Liberal	C. Court		8 April 1974 (1974-04-08)	10 March 1977 (1977-03-10)	2 years, 336 days
11	June Craig				Minister for Lands and Forests	10 March 1977 (1977-03-10)	25 August 1978 (1978-08-25)	1 year, 168 days
12	David Wordsworth MLC					25 August 1978 (1978-08-25)	25 January 1982 (1982-01-25)	3 years, 153 days
13	Ian Laurance		Liberal	O'Connor	Minister for Forests	25 January 1982 (1982-01-25)	25 February 1983 (1983-02-25)	1 year, 31 days
14	Brian Burke		Labor	Burke		25 February 1983 (1983-02-25)	22 March 1985 (1985-03-22)	2 years, 25 days
15	Monty House		National	R. Court	Minister for Primary Industries	16 February 1993 (1993-02-16)	16 February 2001 (2001-02-16)	8 years, 0 days
16	Kim Chance MLC		Labor	Gallop	Minister for Forestry	16 February 2001 (2001-02-16)	1 July 2001 (2001-07-01)	7 years, 220 days
					Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries	1 July 2001 (2001-07-01)	10 March 2005 (2005-03-10)	3 years, 252 days
					Minister for Agriculture and Forestry	10 March 2005 (2005-03-10)	25 January 2006 (2006-01-25)	321 days
				Carpenter		25 January 2006 (2006-01-25)	3 February 2006 (2006-02-03)	9 days
					Minister for Forestry	3 February 2006 (2006-02-03)	23 September 2008 (2008-09-23)	2 years, 233 days
17	Terry Redman		National	Barnett		23 September 2008 (2008-09-23)	11 December 2013 (2013-12-11)	5 years, 79 days
18	Mia Davies					11 December 2013 (2013-12-11)	17 March 2017 (2017-03-17)	3 years, 96 days
19	Dave Kelly		Labor	McGowan		17 March 2017 (2017-03-17)	14 December 2022	5 years, 272 days
20	Jackie Jarvis					14 December 2022	8 June 2023	1 year, 331 days
				Cook		8 June 2023	incumbent

List of assistant ministers for forestry

Order	Minister	Party		Premier	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	David Evans		Labor	Burke	Minister assisting the Minister for Forests	25 February 1983 (1983-02-25)	22 March 1985 (1985-03-22)	2 years, 25 days

See also

• Minister for the Environment (Western Australia)