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Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)

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Minister for Home Affairs
Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Flag of Australia
Incumbent
Tony Burke
since 29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)
Department of Home Affairs
AppointerGovernor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holderWilliam Lyne
Formation1 January 1901 (1901-01-01)
Websiteminister.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.

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

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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

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

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Sir William Lyne, KCMG   Protectionist Barton Minister for Home Affairs 1 January 1901 (1901-01-01) 11 August 1903 (1903-08-11) 2 years, 222 days
2 Sir John Forrest, KCMG 11 August 1903 (1903-08-11) 24 September 1903 (1903-09-24) 260 days
Deakin 24 September 1903 (1903-09-24) 27 April 1904 (1904-04-27)
3 Lee Batchelor   Labor Watson 27 April 1904 (1904-04-27) 17 August 1904 (1904-08-17) 112 days
4 Dugald Thomson   Free Trade Reid 17 August 1904 (1904-08-17) 5 July 1905 (1905-07-05) 322 days
5 Littleton Groom, KC   Protectionist Deakin 5 July 1905 (1905-07-05) 12 October 1906 (1906-10-12) 1 year, 99 days
6 Thomas Ewing 12 October 1906 (1906-10-12) 24 January 1907 (1907-01-24) 104 days
7 John Keating 24 January 1907 (1907-01-24) 13 November 1908 (1908-11-13) 1 year, 294 days
8 Hugh Mahon   Labor Fisher 13 November 1908 (1908-11-13) 2 June 1909 (1909-06-02) 201 days
9 George Fuller   Liberal Deakin 2 June 1909 (1909-06-02) 29 April 1910 (1910-04-29) 331 days
10 King O'Malley   Labor Fisher 29 April 1910 (1910-04-29) 24 June 1913 (1913-06-24) 3 years, 56 days
11 Joseph Cook   Liberal Cook 24 June 1913 (1913-06-24) 17 September 1914 (1914-09-17) 1 year, 85 days
12 William Archibald   Labor Fisher 17 September 1914 (1914-09-17) 27 October 1915 (1915-10-27) 1 year, 40 days
(10) King O'Malley Hughes 27 October 1915 (1915-10-27) 14 November 1916 (1916-11-14) 1 year, 18 days
13 Fred Bamford   National Labor Minister for Home and Territories 14 November 1916 (1916-11-14) 17 February 1917 (1917-02-17) 95 days
14 Paddy Glynn, KC   Nationalist 17 February 1917 (1917-02-17) 3 February 1920 (1920-02-03) 2 years, 351 days
15 Alexander Poynton, OBE 3 February 1920 (1920-02-03) 21 December 1921 (1921-12-21) 1 year, 321 days
16 George Pearce 21 December 1921 (1921-12-21) 9 February 1923 (1923-02-09) 4 years, 179 days
Bruce 9 February 1923 (1923-02-09) 18 June 1926 (1926-06-18)
17 Sir William Glasgow, KCB, CMG, DSO, VD 18 June 1926 (1926-06-18) 2 April 1927 (1927-04-02) 288 days
18 Charles Marr, DSO, MC 2 April 1927 (1927-04-02) 24 February 1928 (1928-02-24) 328 days
19 Sir Neville Howse, VC, KCB, KCMG 24 February 1928 (1928-02-24) 29 November 1928 (1928-11-29) 279 days
20 Aubrey Abbott   Country 29 November 1928 (1928-11-29) 22 October 1929 (1929-10-22) 327 days
21 Arthur Blakeley   Labor Scullin Minister for Home Affairs 22 October 1929 (1929-10-22) 6 January 1932 (1932-01-06) 2 years, 76 days
22 Sir Archdale Parkhill, KCMG   United Australia Lyons 6 January 1932 (1932-01-06) 12 April 1932 (1932-04-12) 97 days
23 Robert Ellicott, QC   Liberal Fraser Minister for Home Affairs 20 December 1977 (1977-12-20) 3 November 1980 (1980-11-03) 3 years, 59 days
Minister for Home Affairs and Environment 3 November 1980 (1980-11-03) 17 February 1981 (1981-02-17)
24 Michael MacKellar 17 February 1981 (1981-02-17) 19 March 1981 (1981-03-19) 30 days
25 Ian Wilson 19 March 1981 (1981-03-19) 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) 1 year, 49 days
26 Tom McVeigh   National Country 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) 16 October 1982 308 days
National 16 October 1982 11 March 1983
27 Barry Cohen   Labor Hawke 11 March 1983 (1983-03-11) 13 December 1984 (1984-12-13) 1 year, 277 days
28 Robert Ray   Labor Hawke Minister for Home Affairs 24 July 1987 (1987-07-24) 2 September 1988 (1988-09-02) 1 year, 40 days
29 Bob Debus   Labor Rudd Minister for Home Affairs 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) 9 June 2009 (2009-06-09) 1 year, 188 days
30 Brendan O'Connor 9 June 2009 (2009-06-09) 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) 2 years, 188 days
Gillard 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) 14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)
31 Jason Clare 14 December 2011 (2011-12-14) 27 June 2013 (2013-06-27) 1 year, 278 days
Rudd 27 June 2013 (2013-06-27) 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
32 Peter Dutton   Liberal Turnbull Minister for Home Affairs 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) 24 August 2018 (2018-08-24) 3 years, 100 days
Morrison 24 August 2018 (2018-08-24) 30 March 2021 (2021-03-30)
33 Karen Andrews1 30 March 2021 (2021-03-30) 23 May 2022 (2022-05-23) 1 year, 54 days
Scott Morrison1 [9] 6 May 2021 (2021-05-06) 23 May 2022 (2022-05-23) 1 year, 17 days
* Jim Chalmers (Interim)   Labor Albanese 23 May 2022 (2022-05-23) 1 June 2022 (2022-06-01) 9 days
34 Clare O'Neil 1 June 2022 (2022-06-01) 29 July 2024 (2024-07-29) 2 years, 58 days
35 Tony Burke 29 July 2024 (2024-07-29) incumbent 103 days
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

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List of ministers for customs

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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]

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 (1901-01-01) 24 July 1903 (1903-07-24) 2 years, 204 days
2 William Lyne 11 August 1903 (1903-08-11) 24 September 1903 (1903-09-24) 260 days
Deakin 24 September 1903 (1903-09-24) 27 April 1904 (1904-04-27)
3 Andrew Fisher   Labor Watson 27 April 1904 (1904-04-27) 17 August 1904 (1904-08-17) 112 days
4 Allan McLean   Protectionist Reid 17 August 1904 (1904-08-17) 5 July 1905 (1905-07-05) 322 days
5 William Lyne Deakin 5 July 1905 (1905-07-05) 30 July 1907 (1907-07-30) 2 years, 25 days
6 Austin Chapman 30 July 1907 (1907-07-30) 13 November 1908 (1908-11-13) 1 year, 106 days
7 Frank Tudor   Labor Fisher 13 November 1908 (1908-11-13) 2 June 1909 (1909-06-02) 201 days
8 Robert Best   Protectionist Deakin 2 June 1909 (1909-06-02) 29 April 1910 (1910-04-29) 331 days
n/a Frank Tudor   Labor Fisher 29 April 1910 (1910-04-29) 24 June 1913 (1913-06-24) 3 years, 56 days
9 Littleton Groom   Commonwealth Liberal Cook 24 June 1913 (1913-06-24) 17 September 1914 (1914-09-17) 1 year, 85 days
n/a Frank Tudor   Labor Fisher 17 September 1914 (1914-09-17) 27 October 1915 (1915-10-27) 1 year, 363 days
Hughes 27 October 1915 (1915-10-27) 14 September 1916 (1916-09-14)
10 Billy Hughes 29 September 1916 (1916-09-29) 14 November 1916 (1916-11-14) 61 days
11 William Archibald   National Labor 14 November 1916 (1916-11-14) 17 February 1917 (1917-02-17) 95 days
12 Jens Jensen   Nationalist 17 February 1917 (1917-02-17) 13 December 1918 (1918-12-13) 1 year, 299 days
13 William Watt 13 December 1918 (1918-12-13) 17 January 1919 (1919-01-17) 35 days
14 Walter Massy-Greene 17 January 1919 (1919-01-17) 21 December 1921 (1921-12-21) 2 years, 338 days
15 Arthur Rodgers 21 December 1921 (1921-12-21) 5 February 1923 (1923-02-05) 1 year, 46 days
n/a Austin Chapman Bruce 9 February 1923 (1923-02-09) 26 May 1924 (1924-05-26) 1 year, 107 days
n/a Littleton Groom 29 May 1924 (1924-05-29) 13 June 1924 (1924-06-13) 15 days
16 Herbert Pratten 13 June 1924 (1924-06-13) 7 May 1928 (1928-05-07) 3 years, 329 days
17 Stanley Bruce 8 May 1928 (1928-05-08) 24 November 1928 (1928-11-24) 200 days
18 Henry Gullett 24 November 1928 (1928-11-24) 22 October 1929 (1929-10-22) 332 days
19 James Fenton   Labor Scullin 22 October 1929 (1929-10-22) 4 February 1931 (1931-02-04) 1 year, 105 days
20 Frank Forde 4 February 1931 (1931-02-04) 6 January 1932 (1932-01-06) 336 days
n/a Henry Gullett   United Australia Lyons 6 January 1932 (1932-01-06) 14 January 1933 (1933-01-14) 1 year, 8 days
21 Thomas White 14 January 1933 (1933-01-14) 8 November 1938 (1938-11-08) 5 years, 298 days
22 John Perkins 8 November 1938 (1938-11-08) 7 April 1939 (1939-04-07) 169 days
Page 7 April 1939 (1939-04-07) 26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)
23 John Lawson Menzies 26 April 1939 (1939-04-26) 23 February 1940 (1940-02-23) 303 days
24 Robert Menzies 23 February 1940 (1940-02-23) 14 March 1940 (1940-03-14) 20 days
25 George McLeay 14 March 1940 (1940-03-14) 28 October 1940 (1940-10-28) 228 days
26 Eric Harrison 28 October 1940 (1940-10-28) 29 August 1941 (1941-08-29) 344 days
Fadden 29 August 1941 (1941-08-29) 7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)
27 Richard Keane   Labor Curtin 7 October 1941 (1941-10-07) 6 July 1945 (1945-07-06) 4 years, 201 days
Forde 6 July 1945 (1945-07-06) 13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)
Chifley 13 July 1945 (1945-07-13) 26 April 1946 (1946-04-26)
28 John Dedman 26 April 1946 (1946-04-26) 18 June 1946 (1946-06-18) 53 days
29 James Fraser 18 June 1946 (1946-06-18) 1 November 1946 (1946-11-01) 136 days
30 Ben Courtice 1 November 1946 (1946-11-01) 19 December 1949 (1949-12-19) 3 years, 184 days
31 Neil O'Sullivan   Liberal Menzies 19 December 1949 (1949-12-19) 11 January 1956 (1956-01-11) 6 years, 23 days
32 Frederick Osborne Minister for Customs and Excise 11 January 1956 (1956-01-11) 24 October 1956 (1956-10-24) 287 days
33 Denham Henty 24 October 1956 (1956-10-24) 10 June 1964 (1964-06-10) 7 years, 230 days
34 Ken Anderson 10 June 1964 (1964-06-10) 26 January 1966 (1966-01-26) 3 years, 263 days
Holt 26 January 1966 (1966-01-26) 19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)
McEwen 19 December 1967 (1967-12-19) 10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)
Gorton 10 January 1968 (1968-01-10) 28 February 1968 (1968-02-28)
35 Malcolm Scott 28 February 1968 (1968-02-28) 12 November 1969 (1969-11-12) 1 year, 257 days
36 Don Chipp 12 November 1969 (1969-11-12) 10 March 1971 (1971-03-10) 3 years, 23 days
McMahon 10 March 1971 (1971-03-10) 5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)
37 Gough Whitlam1   Labor Whitlam 5 December 1972 (1972-12-05) 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) 14 days
38 Lionel Murphy 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) 10 February 1975 (1975-02-10) 2 years, 53 days
39 Kep Enderby 10 February 1975 (1975-02-10) 27 March 1975 (1975-03-27) 116 days
Minister for Police and Customs 27 March 1975 (1975-03-27) 6 June 1975 (1975-06-06)
40 Jim Cavanagh 6 June 1975 (1975-06-06) 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) 158 days
41 Ivor Greenwood   Liberal Fraser 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) 41 days
42 John Howard Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) 17 July 1977 (1977-07-17) 1 year, 207 days
43 Wal Fife 17 July 1977 (1977-07-17) 8 December 1979 (1979-12-08) 2 years, 144 days
44 Victor Garland 8 December 1979 (1979-12-08) 3 November 1980 (1980-11-03) 331 days
45 John Moore 3 November 1980 (1980-11-03) 20 April 1982 (1982-04-20) 1 year, 168 days
46 Neil Brown 20 April 1982 (1982-04-20) 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) 17 days
47 Phillip Lynch Minister for Industry and Commerce 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) 11 October 1982 (1982-10-11) 157 days
48 Andrew Peacock 11 October 1982 (1982-10-11) 11 March 1983 (1983-03-11) 151 days
49 John Button   Labor Hawke 11 March 1983 (1983-03-11) 13 December 1984 (1984-12-13) 4 years, 314 days
Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce 13 December 1984 (1984-12-13) 19 January 1988 (1988-01-19)
50 Barry Jones Minister for Science, Customs and Small Business 19 January 1988 (1988-01-19) 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) 7 years, 24 days
51 David Beddall Minister for Small Business and Customs 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) 2 years, 354 days
Keating 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) 27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)
Minister for Small Business, Construction and Customs 27 December 1991 (1991-12-27) 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)
52 Alan Griffiths Minister for Industry, Technology and Regional Development 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24) 23 January 1994 (1994-01-23) 305 days
53 Peter Cook 30 January 1994 (1994-01-30) 25 March 1994 (1994-03-25) 61 days
54 Chris Schacht Minister for Small Business, Customs and Construction 25 March 1994 (1994-03-25) 11 March 1996 (1996-03-11) 1 year, 352 days
55 Geoff Prosser   Liberal Howard Minister for Small Business and Consumer Affairs 11 March 1996 (1996-03-11) 18 July 1997 (1997-07-18) 1 year, 129 days
56 Chris Ellison Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs 18 July 1997 (1997-07-18) 9 October 1997 (1997-10-09) 83 days
57 Warren Truss   Nationals 9 October 1997 (1997-10-09) 21 October 1998 (1998-10-21) 1 year, 12 days
58 Amanda Vanstone   Liberal Minister for Justice and Customs 21 October 1998 (1998-10-21) 30 January 2001 (2001-01-30) 2 years, 101 days
59 Chris Ellison 30 January 2001 (2001-01-30) 9 March 2007 (2007-03-09) 6 years, 38 days
60 David Johnston 9 March 2007 (2007-03-09) 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) 269 days
61 Bob Debus   Labor Rudd Minister for Home Affairs 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) 9 June 2009 (2009-06-09) 1 year, 188 days
62 Brendan O'Connor 9 June 2009 (2009-06-09) 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) 2 years, 188 days
Gillard 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) 14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)
63 Jason Clare 14 December 2011 (2011-12-14) 27 June 2013 (2013-06-27) 1 year, 278 days
Rudd 27 June 2013 (2013-06-27) 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
64 Scott Morrison Liberal Abbott Minister for Immigration and Border Protection 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) 23 December 2014 (2014-12-23) 1 year, 96 days
65 Peter Dutton 23 December 2014 (2014-12-23) 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) 3 years, 241 days
Turnbull 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) 21 August 2018 (2018-08-21)

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

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

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
For previous appointments, see the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
1 Alex Hawke Liberal Turnbull Assistant Minister for Home Affairs 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) 251 days
2 Linda Reynolds CSC Morrison 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) 2 March 2019 (2019-03-02) 186 days

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

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

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Jason Wood Liberal Morrison Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) 22 May 2022 (2022-05-22) 5 years, 164 days

See also

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References

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  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. ^ a b c d "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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