Minister for Health (Australia)

The Australian Minister for Health is responsible for national health and wellbeing and medical research. The Hon Greg Hunt MP has served as Minister for Health since 2017, and briefly left office in 2018 following criticism of the leadership of Malcolm Turnbull.[1]

Minister for Health
Incumbent
Greg Hunt
since 28 August 2018
Department of Health
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerGovernor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holderFrank Tudor
Formation13 November 1908
Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians
Incumbent
Richard Colbeck
since 26 May 2019
Department of Health
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerGovernor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holderWarren Snowdon
Formation9 June 2009

The Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians is Richard Colbeck since May 2019. Ken Wyatt AM, MP held the position from 2017 to 2018, having previously served as the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care since September 2015.[1][2][3]

In the Government of Australia, the ministers are responsible for national health and medical research policy. The minister provides direction and oversight of the Department of Health.

History

Under Section 55(ix) of the Australian Constitution, the Commonwealth Parliament had the power to "make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to Quarantine." This was the only area of public health in which the Commonwealth had authority at the time of Federation. The federal parliament did not use this power until the proclamation of the Quarantine Act 1908,[4] on 30 March 1908. The control of the administration of quarantine was under the administration of the Minister for Trade and Customs from 1908 until 1921. This Minister's responsibilities in health matters increased as the Australian Government took a greater role in the provision of public health services during the early 20th century, in particular after the First World War.

A separate Department of Health was established on 10 March 1921, and the position of Minister for Health was then formally created in the fifth Hughes Ministry. The role of the Department of Health has continued to expand and further federal responsibility for health was authorised by the passage, at referendum, of a constitutional amendment in 1946. From 1987 until the establishment of the current department in 2013, the department controlled by the minister had various different names – Department of Community Services and Health (1987–1991), Department of Health, Housing and Community Services (1991–1993), Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services (1993), Department of Human Services and Health (1993–1996), Department of Health and Family Services (1996–1998), Department of Health and Aged Care (1998–2001), and Department of Health and Ageing (2001–2013).

Section 51 (xxiiiA) of the Constitution now states the Commonwealth (federal) Parliament has the power to

make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth [of Australia] with respect to the provision of maternity allowances, widows' pensions, child endowment, unemployment, pharmaceutical, sickness and hospital benefits, medical and dental services (but not so as to authorise any form of civil conscription), benefits to students and family allowances.

As a result of this amendment the federal government now has a key role in financing and providing medical services through entities such as Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

From 1972 to 1975 under Doug Everingham, the Ministry was named the "Ministry of Helth [sic]" in some informal contexts due to Everingham's support of Spelling Reform.[5][6][7]

List of health ministers

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Health, or any of its precedent titles:[8]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Walter Massy-Greene Nationalist Hughes Minister for Health 10 March 1921 (1921-03-10) 5 February 1923 (1923-02-05) 1 year, 332 days
2 Austin Chapman Bruce 9 February 1923 (1923-02-09) 26 May 1924 (1924-05-26) 1 year, 107 days
3 Littleton Groom 26 May 1924 (1924-05-26) 13 June 1924 (1924-06-13) 18 days
4 Herbert Pratten 13 June 1924 (1924-06-13) 16 January 1925 (1925-01-16) 217 days
5 Sir Neville Howse 16 January 1925 (1925-01-16) 2 April 1927 (1927-04-02) 2 years, 76 days
6 Stanley Bruce 2 April 1927 (1927-04-02) 24 February 1928 (1928-02-24) 328 days
(5) Sir Neville Howse 24 February 1928 (1928-02-24) 22 October 1929 (1929-10-22) 1 year, 240 days
7 Frank Anstey Labor Scullin 22 October 1929 (1929-10-22) 3 March 1931 (1931-03-03) 1 year, 132 days
8 John McNeill 3 March 1931 (1931-03-03) 6 January 1932 (1932-01-06) 309 days
9 Charles Marr United Australia Lyons 6 January 1932 (1932-01-06) 12 October 1934 (1934-10-12) 2 years, 279 days
10 Billy Hughes 12 October 1934 (1934-10-12) 6 November 1935 (1935-11-06) 1 year, 25 days
11 Joseph Lyons 6 November 1935 (1935-11-06) 26 February 1936 (1936-02-26) 112 days
(10) Billy Hughes 26 February 1936 (1936-02-26) 29 November 1937 (1937-11-29) 1 year, 276 days
12 Sir Earle Page Country 29 November 1937 (1937-11-29) 7 November 1938 (1938-11-07) 343 days
13 Harry Foll United Australia 7 November 1938 (1938-11-07) 7 April 1939 (1939-04-07) 170 days
Page 7 April 1939 (1939-04-07) 26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)
14 Sir Frederick Stewart Menzies 26 April 1939 (1939-04-26) 14 March 1940 (1940-03-14) 323 days
15 Harold Thorby Country 14 March 1940 (1940-03-14) 28 October 1940 (1940-10-28) 228 days
(14) Sir Frederick Stewart United Australia 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)
16 Jack Holloway Labor Curtin 7 October 1941 (1941-10-07) 21 September 1943 (1943-09-21) 1 year, 349 days
17 James Fraser 21 September 1943 (1943-09-21) 6 July 1945 (1945-07-06) 1 year, 288 days
Forde 6 July 1945 (1945-07-06) 13 July 1945 (1945-07-13) 7 days
Chifley 13 July 1945 (1945-07-13) 18 June 1946 (1946-06-18) 340 days
18 Nick McKenna 18 June 1946 (1946-06-18) 19 December 1949 (1949-12-19) 3 years, 184 days
(12) Sir Earle Page Country Menzies 19 December 1949 (1949-12-19) 11 January 1956 (1956-01-11) 6 years, 23 days
19 Donald Cameron Liberal 11 January 1956 (1956-01-11) 22 December 1961 (1961-12-22) 5 years, 345 days
20 Harrie Wade Country 22 December 1961 (1961-12-22) 18 November 1964 (1964-11-18) 2 years, 332 days
21 Reginald Swartz Liberal 21 November 1964 (1964-11-21) 26 January 1966 (1966-01-26) 1 year, 66 days
22 Jim Forbes Holt 26 January 1966 (1966-01-26) 19 December 1967 (1967-12-19) 5 years, 55 days
McEwen 19 December 1967 (1967-12-19) 10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)
Gorton 10 January 1968 (1968-01-10) 10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)
McMahon 10 March 1971 (1971-03-10) 22 March 1971 (1971-03-22)
23 Ivor Greenwood 22 March 1971 (1971-03-22) 2 August 1971 (1971-08-02) 133 days
24 Sir Ken Anderson 2 August 1971 (1971-08-02) 5 December 1972 (1972-12-05) 1 year, 125 days
25 Lance Barnard1 Labor Whitlam 5 December 1972 (1972-12-05) 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) 14 days
26 Doug Everingham Minister for Health2 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) 2 years, 327 days
27 Don Chipp Liberal Fraser Minister for Health 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) 41 days
28 Ralph Hunt National Country 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) 8 December 1979 (1979-12-08) 3 years, 351 days
29 Michael MacKellar Liberal 8 December 1979 (1979-12-08) 20 April 1982 (1982-04-20) 2 years, 133 days
30 Peter Baume 20 April 1982 (1982-04-20) 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) 17 days
31 Jim Carlton 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) 11 March 1983 (1983-03-11) 308 days
32 Neal Blewett Labor Hawke 11 March 1983 (1983-03-11) 24 July 1987 (1987-07-24) 7 years, 24 days
Minister for Community Services and Health 24 July 1987 (1987-07-24) 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)
33 Brian Howe 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) 7 June 1991 (1991-06-07) 2 years, 354 days
Keating Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services 7 June 1991 (1991-06-07) 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)
34 Graham Richardson Minister for Health 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24) 25 March 1994 (1994-03-25) 1 year, 1 day
35 Carmen Lawrence Minister for Human Services and Health 25 March 1994 (1994-03-25) 11 March 1996 (1996-03-11) 1 year, 352 days
36 Michael Wooldridge Liberal Howard Minister for Health and Family Services 11 March 1996 (1996-03-11) 21 October 1998 (1998-10-21) 5 years, 260 days
Minister for Health and Aged Care 21 October 1998 (1998-10-21) 26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)
37 Kay Patterson Minister for Health and Ageing 26 November 2001 (2001-11-26) 7 October 2003 (2003-10-07) 1 year, 315 days
38 Tony Abbott 7 October 2003 (2003-10-07) 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) 4 years, 57 days
39 Nicola Roxon Labor Rudd 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) 4 years, 8 days
Gillard 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) 11 December 2011 (2011-12-11)
40 Tanya Plibersek Minister for Health 11 December 2011 (2011-12-11) 1 July 2013 (2013-07-01) 1 year, 281 days
Rudd Minister for Health and Medical Research 1 July 2013 (2013-07-01) 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
41 Peter Dutton   Liberal National Abbott Minister for Health 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) 23 December 2014 (2014-12-23) 1 year, 96 days
42 Sussan Ley Liberal 23 December 2014 (2014-12-23) 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) 2 years, 21 days
Turnbull 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19)
Minister for Health and Ageing 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19) 13 January 2017 (2017-01-13)
(acting) Arthur Sinodinos[9] 13 January 2017 (2017-01-13) 24 January 2017 (2017-01-24) 11 days
43 Greg Hunt Minister for Health 24 January 2017 (2017-01-24) 24 August 2018 (2018-08-24) 3 years, 203 days
Morrison 24 August 2018 (2018-08-24) Incumbent

Notes

1 Barnard was part of a two-man ministry that comprised just Gough Whitlam and Barnard for fourteen days until the full ministry was announced.
2 Doug Everingham was a supporter of Spelling Reform and he preferred to spell it "Helth", but this was not the formal spelling of the portfolio's name (see above).

List of ministers for aged care

The following individuals have been appointed as the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, or any of its precedent titles:[8]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
For earlier appointments, see the List of Australian ministers for aged care
1 Christopher Pyne   Liberal Howard Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing 30 January 2007 (2007-01-30) 21 March 2007 (2007-03-21) 50 days
2 Fiona Nash   Nationals Abbott Assistant Minister for Health 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) 2 years, 3 days
Turnbull 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) 21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)
3 Ken Wyatt   Liberal Turnbull Assistant Minister for Health 30 September 2015 (2015-09-30) 18 February 2016 (2016-02-18) 3 years, 241 days
Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care 18 February 2016 (2016-02-18) 18 January 2017 (2017-01-18)
Minister for Aged Care 24 January 2017 (2017-01-24) 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)
Morrison Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)
4 Richard Colbeck Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) Incumbent 1 year, 77 days

Former ministerial posts

List of assistant health ministers

The following individual has been appointed as the Assistant Health Minister, or any of its precedent titles:[8]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 David Gillespie Nationals Turnbull Assistant Minister for Rural Health 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19) 24 January 2017 (2017-01-24) 1 year, 154 days
Assistant Minister for Health 24 January 2017 (2017-01-24) 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)

List of ministers for indigenous health

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Indigenous Health, or any of its precedent titles:[8]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Warren Snowdon Labor Rudd Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery 9 June 2009 24 June 2010 4 years, 101 days
Gillard 24 June 2010 14 September 2010
Minister for Indigenous Health 14 September 2010 27 June 2013
Rudd 27 June 2013 18 September 2013
2 Ken Wyatt   Liberal Turnbull
Morrison		 Minister for Indigenous Health 24 January 2017 (2017-01-24) 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) 2 years, 125 days

List of ministers for rural health

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Rural Health, or any of its precedent titles:[8]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Fiona Nash   Nationals Turnbull Minister for Rural Health 21 September 2015 (2015-09-21) 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19) 302 days
2 Bridget McKenzie   Nationals Turnbull Minister for Rural Health 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) 251 days
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See also
  • Minister for Social Services
  • Minister for Sport

References
  1. "New federal ministers officially sworn in". Australia: Sky News. AAP. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  2. Karp, Paul (18 January 2017). "Malcolm Turnbull names Greg Hunt to become health and sport minister". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  3. Massola, James (13 February 2016). "Cabinet reshuffle: Malcolm Turnbull announces new frontbench as Mal Brough resigns". The Age. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  4. "Communicable Diseases Surveillance: Surveillance Systems". Department of Health and Ageing. Commonwealth of Australia. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  5. Sampson, Geoffrey (1990). Writing Systems. Stanford University Press. p. 197.
  6. Fairbairn, David (12 September 1973). "Second Reading (Budget Debate) Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 1973–1974" (PDF). Australian House of Representatives Hansard. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  7. "The Case for SR1 and Nothing Else". Archived from the original on 31 December 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  8. "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 9 July 2013.
  9. Anderson, Stephanie (18 January 2017). "Greg Hunt announced as Sussan Ley's replacement as Health Minister". ABC News. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
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