Minister for Indigenous Australians
The Minister for Indigenous Australians in the Government of Australia is a position which holds responsibility for affairs affecting Indigenous Australians. Previous ministers have held various other titles since the position was created in 1968, most recently Minister for Indigenous Affairs. Since 1 June 2022 it has been held by Linda Burney.
| Minister for Indigenous Australians | |
|---|---|
 | |
.svg) | |
| Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | |
| Style | The Honourable |
| Appointer | Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia |
| Inaugural holder | Peter Howson (as Minister for the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts) |
| Formation | 10 March 1971 |
| Website | ministers |
Current minister and role
Linda Burney was sworn in as part of the Albanese ministry on 1 June 2022, following the Australian federal election in 2022.[1] She took over the role from Ken Wyatt, who was the first Indigenous Australian appointed to the role, and the first minister named as Minister for Indigenous Australians.[2]
The role assumes responsibility for matters concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, and is responsible for the National Indigenous Australians Agency.[2]
Portfolio
In the Government of Australia, the Minister administers the portfolio through the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and a range of other government agencies, including:[citation needed]
- Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC)
- Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC)
- Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA)
- Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC)
- Office of the Aboriginal Land Commissioner
- Anindilyakawa Land Council
- Central Land Council
- Northern Land Council
- Tiwi Land Council
List of ministers
Indigenous affairs
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Indigenous Affairs, or any precedent titles:[3]
| Order | Minister | Party affiliation | Prime Minister | Ministerial title | Term start | Term end | Term in office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bill Wentworth | Liberal | Gorton | Minister in charge of Aboriginal Affairs under the Prime Minister | 28 February 1968 | 10 March 1971 | 3 years, 92 days | |
| McMahon | 10 March 1971 | 31 May 1971 | ||||||
| 2 | Peter Howson | Minister for the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts | 31 May 1971 | 5 December 1972 | 1 year, 188 days | |||
| 3 | Gough Whitlam1 | Labor | Whitlam | 5 December 1972 | 19 December 1972 | 14 days | ||
| 4 | Gordon Bryant | Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | 19 December 1972 | 9 October 1973 | 294 days | |||
| 5 | Jim Cavanagh | 9 October 1973 | 6 June 1975 | 1 year, 240 days | ||||
| 6 | Les Johnson | 6 June 1975 | 11 November 1975 | 158 days | ||||
| 7 | Tom Drake-Brockman | National Country | Fraser | 11 November 1975 | 22 December 1975 | 41 days | ||
| 8 | Ian Viner | Liberal | 22 December 1975 | 5 December 1978 | 2 years, 348 days | |||
| 9 | Fred Chaney | 5 December 1978 | 3 November 1980 | 1 year, 334 days | ||||
| 10 | Peter Baume | 3 November 1980 | 7 May 1982 | 1 year, 185 days | ||||
| 11 | Ian Wilson | 7 May 1982 | 11 March 1983 | 308 days | ||||
| 12 | Clyde Holding | Labor | Hawke | 11 March 1983 | 24 July 1987 | 4 years, 135 days | ||
| 13 | Gerry Hand | 24 July 1987 | 4 April 1990 | 2 years, 254 days | ||||
| 14 | Robert Tickner | 4 April 1990 | 19 December 1991 | 5 years, 342 days | ||||
| Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs | 19 December 1991 | 20 December 1991 | ||||||
| Keating | 20 December 1991 | 11 March 1996 | ||||||
| 15 | John Herron | Liberal | Howard | 11 March 1996 | 30 January 2001 | 4 years, 325 days | ||
| 16 | Philip Ruddock | Minister for Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs | 30 January 2001 | 26 November 2001 | 2 years, 250 days | |||
| Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs | 26 November 2001 | 7 October 2003 | ||||||
| 17 | Amanda Vanstone | 7 October 2003 | 27 January 2006 | 2 years, 112 days | ||||
| 18 | Mal Brough | Minister for Families and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs | 27 January 2006 | 3 December 2007 | 1 year, 310 days | |||
| 19 | Jenny Macklin | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs | 3 December 2007 | 24 June 2010 | 5 years, 289 days | |
| Gillard | 24 June 2010 | 14 December 2011 | ||||||
| Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs | 24 June 2010 | 27 June 2013 | ||||||
| Rudd | 27 June 2013 | 18 September 2013 | ||||||
| 20 | Nigel Scullion | National | Abbott | Minister for Indigenous Affairs | 18 September 2013 | 15 September 2015 | 5 years, 253 days | |
| Turnbull | 15 September 2015 | 24 August 2018 | ||||||
| Morrison | 24 August 2018 | 29 May 2019 | ||||||
| 21 | Ken Wyatt | Liberal | Minister for Indigenous Australians | 29 May 2019 | 23 May 2022 | 2 years, 359 days | ||
| 22 | Linda Burney | Labor | Albanese | 1 June 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 33 days | ||
Reconciliation
| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philip Ruddock | Liberal | Howard | Minister assisting the Prime Minister for Reconciliation | 21 October 1998 | 30 January 2001 | 4 years, 351 days | |
| Minister for Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs | 30 January 2001 | 26 November 2001 | ||||||
| Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Reconciliation | 26 November 2001 | 7 October 2003 | ||||||
| 2 | Amanda Vanstone | 7 October 2003 | 22 October 2004 | 1 year, 15 days | ||||
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.