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Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, also known as the Foreign Minister, is the minister of state of the Commonwealth of Australia charged with overseeing the creation and implementation of international diplomacy, relations and foreign affairs policy, as the head of the foreign affairs section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The current Foreign Minister is Senator Penny Wong, who was appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in May 2022 following the 2022 federal election.

Minister for Foreign Affairs
Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Flag of Australia
Incumbent
Penny Wong
since 23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerGovernor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holderEdmund Barton (as Minister for External Affairs)
Formation1 January 1901 (1901-01-01)
Websitewww.foreignminister.gov.au

Wong is the first female Foreign Minister from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the third female foreign minister in a row, following Julie Bishop and Marise Payne. The position is one of two cabinet-level portfolio ministers under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the other being the Minister for Trade and Tourism. The Foreign Minister is vested with several subordinate positions, including the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, currently held by Pat Conroy, and the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, currently held by Tim Watts.

Scope

R. G. Casey House, the headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The minister is usually one of the most senior members of Cabinet – the position is equivalent to that of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in Britain or Secretary of State in the United States – as shown by the fact that eleven Prime Ministers of Australia have also worked as the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The minister is seen as one of the people most responsible for formulating Australia's foreign policy, as they along with other relevant ministers advise the Prime Minister in developing and implementing foreign policy, and also acts as the government's main spokesperson on international affairs issues. In recent times, the minister also undertakes numerous international trips to meet with foreign representatives and Heads of State or Government.

List of ministers for foreign affairs

The portfolio has existed continuously since 1901, except for the period 14 November 1916 to 21 December 1921. Prior to 6 November 1970, the office was known as the Minister for External Affairs. Between 24 July 1987 and 24 March 1993 it was known as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Starting with the Keating government, the Trade portfolio has been administered separately by the Minister for Trade.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs, or any of its precedent titles:[1]

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1Edmund Barton1 2 ProtectionistBartonMinister for External Affairs1 January 1901 (1901-01-01)24 September 1903 (1903-09-24)2 years, 266 days
2Alfred Deakin1Deakin24 September 1903 (1903-09-24)27 April 1904 (1904-04-27)216 days
3Billy HughesLaborWatson27 April 1904 (1904-04-27)17 August 1904 (1904-08-17)112 days
4George Reid1Free TradeReid18 August 1904 (1904-08-18)5 July 1905 (1905-07-05)321 days
n/aAlfred Deakin1ProtectionistDeakin5 July 1905 (1905-07-05)13 November 1908 (1908-11-13)3 years, 131 days
5Lee BatchelorLaborFisher13 November 1908 (1908-11-13)2 June 1909 (1909-06-02)201 days
6Littleton GroomLiberalDeakin2 June 1909 (1909-06-02)29 April 1910 (1910-04-29)331 days
n/aLee BatchelorLaborFisher29 April 1910 (1910-04-29)8 October 1911 (1911-10-08)1 year, 162 days
7Josiah Thomas14 October 1911 (1911-10-14)24 June 1913 (1913-06-24)1 year, 253 days
8Paddy GlynnLiberalCook24 June 1913 (1913-06-24)17 September 1914 (1914-09-17)1 year, 85 days
9John ArthurLaborFisher17 September 1914 (1914-09-17)9 December 1914 (1914-12-09)83 days
10Hugh Mahon9 December 1914 (1914-12-09)27 October 1915 (1915-10-27)322 days
Hughes27 October 1915 (1915-10-27)14 November 1916 (1916-11-14)1 year, 18 days
n/aBilly Hughes1NationalistHughesMinister for External Affairs21 December 1921 (1921-12-21)9 February 1923 (1923-02-09)1 year, 50 days
11Stanley Bruce1Bruce9 February 1923 (1923-02-09)22 October 1929 (1929-10-22)6 years, 255 days
12James Scullin1LaborScullin22 October 1929 (1929-10-22)6 January 1932 (1932-01-06)2 years, 76 days
13John LathamUnited AustraliaLyons6 January 1932 (1932-01-06)12 October 1934 (1934-10-12)2 years, 279 days
14Sir George Pearce12 October 1934 (1934-10-12)29 November 1937 (1937-11-29)3 years, 48 days
n/aBilly Hughes29 November 1937 (1937-11-29)7 April 1939 (1939-04-07)1 year, 129 days
Page7 April 1939 (1939-04-07)26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)19 days
15Sir Henry Somer GullettMenzies26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)14 March 1940 (1940-03-14)323 days
16John McEwenCountry14 March 1940 (1940-03-14)28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)228 days
17Frederick StewartUnited Australia28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)29 August 1941 (1941-08-29)305 days
Fadden29 August 1941 (1941-08-29)7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)39 days
18H. V. EvattLaborCurtin7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)8 years, 73 days
Forde6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)
Chifley13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)
19Percy SpenderLiberalMenzies19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)26 April 1951 (1951-04-26)1 year, 128 days
20Richard Casey27 April 1951 (1951-04-27)4 February 1960 (1960-02-04)8 years, 283 days
21Robert Menzies14 February 1960 (1960-02-04)22 December 1961 (1961-12-22)1 year, 321 days
22Sir Garfield Barwick22 December 1961 (1961-12-22)24 April 1964 (1964-04-24)2 years, 124 days
23Paul Hasluck24 April 1964 (1964-04-24)26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)4 years, 293 days
Holt26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)
McEwen19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)
Gorton10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)11 February 1969 (1969-02-11)
24Gordon Freeth11 February 1969 (1969-02-11)12 November 1969 (1969-11-12)274 days
25William McMahon12 November 1969 (1969-11-12)6 November 1970 (1970-11-06)1 year, 130 days
Minister for Foreign Affairs6 November 1970 (1970-11-06)10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)
McMahon10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)22 March 1971 (1971-03-22)
26Leslie Bury22 March 1971 (1971-03-22)2 August 1971 (1971-08-02)133 days
27Nigel Bowen2 August 1971 (1971-08-02)5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)1 year, 125 days
28Gough Whitlam1LaborWhitlam5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)6 November 1973 (1973-11-06)336 days
29Don Willesee6 November 1973 (1973-11-06)11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)2 years, 5 days
30Andrew PeacockLiberalFraser12 November 1975 (1975-11-12)3 November 1980 (1980-11-03)4 years, 358 days
31Tony Street3 November 1980 (1980-11-03)11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)2 years, 128 days
32Bill HaydenLaborHawke11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)5 years, 159 days
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)17 August 1988 (1988-08-17)
33Gareth Evans2 September 1988 (1988-09-02)20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)7 years, 191 days
Keating20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)
Minister for Foreign Affairs24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)
34Alexander DownerLiberalHoward11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)11 years, 267 days
35Stephen SmithLaborRudd3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)24 June 2010 (2010-06-24)2 years, 285 days
Gillard24 June 2010 (2010-06-24)14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)
36Kevin Rudd14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)22 February 2012 (2012-02-22)1 year, 161 days
37Bob Carr13 March 2012 (2012-03-13)27 June 2013 (2013-06-27)1 year, 189 days
Rudd27 June 2013 (2013-06-27)18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
38Julie BishopLiberalAbbott18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)15 September 2015 (2015-09-15)4 years, 344 days
Turnbull15 September 2015 (2015-09-15)24 August 2018 (2018-08-24)
Morrison24 August 2018 (2018-08-24)28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)
39Marise Payne28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)3 years, 268 days
40Penny WongLaborAlbanese23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)Incumbent2 years, 42 days

Notes

1 Also served as Prime Minister for some or all of their term.
2 Barton was knighted in 1902, while serving as Minister.

List of ministers for international development and the Pacific

The Minister for International Development was responsible, in the Rudd Cabinet, for the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the international development and humanitarian aid policies of the Commonwealth of Australia, administered through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).[2][3][4] AusAID was abolished by the incoming prime minister, Tony Abbott, in September 2013 and under the operations of the Abbott Cabinet its functions were absorbed into DFAT.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for International Development and the Pacific, or any precedent title:

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterMinisterial titleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1Bill Morrison LaborWhitlamMinister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in matters relating to Papua New Guinea30 November 19736 June 19751 year, 346 days
Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in matters relating to the Islands of the Pacific6 June 197511 November 1975
2Neal Blewett LaborHawkeMinister for Trade and Overseas Development1 February 1991 (1991-02-01)20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)329 days
Keating20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)
3John Kerin27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)1 year, 87 days
4Gordon BilneyMinister for Development Cooperation and Pacific Island Affairs24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)2 years, 353 days
5Melissa Parke LaborRuddMinister for International Development1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)79 days
6Steven Ciobo LiberalTurnbullMinister for International Development and the Pacific21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)18 February 2016 (2016-02-18)150 days
7Concetta Fierravanti-Wells18 February 2016 (2016-02-18)21 August 2018 (2018-08-21)2 years, 184 days
8Alex Hawke LiberalMorrisonMinister for International Development and the Pacific29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)1 year, 207 days
9Zed Seselja22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)1 year, 152 days
10Pat Conroy LaborAlbanese1 June 2022Incumbent2 years, 33 days

List of ministers assisting the minister for foreign affairs

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs or any of its precedent titles:

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterMinisterial titleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1John Gorton LiberalMenziesMinister Assisting the Minister for External Affairs23 March 1960 (1960-03-23)18 December 1963 (1963-12-18)3 years, 270 days
2Don Willesee LaborWhitlamMinister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs19 December 19726 November 1973322 days
3Bill MorrisonMinister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in matters relating to Papua New Guinea30 November 19736 June 19751 year, 346 days
Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in matters relating to the Islands of the Pacific6 June 197511 November 1975
4Gareth Evans LaborHawkeMinister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs13 December 198424 July 19872 years, 223 days

List of parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for foreign affairs

The following individuals have been appointed as parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for Foreign Affairs or any of its precedent titles:

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterMinisterial titleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1Stephen Martin LaborKeatingParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)1 year, 87 days
2Andrew Thomson LiberalHowardParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)9 October 1997 (1997-10-09)1 year, 212 days
3Kathy Sullivan9 October 1997 (1997-10-09)16 February 2000 (2000-02-16)2 years, 130 days
4Kay Patterson16 February 2000 (2000-02-16)26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)1 year, 283 days
5Chris Gallus26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)18 July 2004 (2004-07-18)2 years, 235 days
6Bruce Billson18 July 2004 (2004-07-18)26 October 2004 (2004-10-26)1 year, 193 days
Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade26 October 2004 (2004-10-26)6 July 2005 (2005-07-06)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs6 July 2005 (2005-07-06)27 January 2006 (2006-01-27)
7Teresa Gambaro27 January 2006 (2006-01-27)30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)1 year, 3 days
8Greg Hunt30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)307 days
9Richard Marles LaborGillardParliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs5 March 2012 (2012-03-05)22 March 2013 (2013-03-22)362 days
10Brett Mason LiberalAbbottParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)23 December 2014 (2014-12-23)1 year, 96 days
11Steven Ciobo23 December 2014 (2014-12-23)21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)272 days
12Tim Watts LaborAlbaneseAssistant Minister for Foreign Affairs1 June 2022Incumbent2 years, 33 days

List of parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for international development and the pacific

The following individuals have been appointed as parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for Foreign Affairs or any of its precedent titles:

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterMinisterial titleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1Richard Marles LaborGillardParliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs27 September 2009 (2009-09-27)22 March 2013 (2013-03-22)3 years, 176 days
2Matt Thistlethwaite22 March 2013 (2013-03-22)27 June 2013 (2013-06-27)180 days
Rudd22 June 2013 (2013-06-22)18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
3Anne Ruston LiberalMorrisonAssistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)273 days

See also

References

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