The Minister for Ports was a ministry first established in 1975 in the

Coalition A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces. Formation According to ''A Gui ...

Lewis–Cutler ministry The Lewis–Cutler ministry or First Lewis ministry was the 68th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 33rd Premier, Tom Lewis, of the Liberal Party in coalition with the Country Party, led by Sir Charles Cutler. It w ...

and abolished in 2011. It has had three incarnations and was renamed as the Minister for Ports and Waterways in the

First Iemma ministry The Iemma ministry (2005–2007) or First Iemma ministry is the 89th ministry of the Government of New South Wales, and was led by the 40th Premier Morris Iemma. It was the first of two occasions when Iemma was Premier. The 1st Iemma Labor minis ...

in 2005. In 2011 the portfolio was merged with that of

Roads A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types of ...

to form the portfolio of Roads and Ports.

Role and responsibilities

Ports had previously been a responsibility of the Minister for Public Works and both portfolios were held by the same minister for the first nine years until 1984. The Minister was responsible for the investigation, planning, design, construction and maintenance of port facilities (except fishing, tourist and recreational facilities), port operation and vessel operations. By 1979 the minister’s responsibilities were drawn together in the

Maritime Services Board The Maritime Services Board was a statutory authority of the Government of New South Wales responsible for marine safety, regulation of commercial and recreational boating and oversight of port operations. History The Maritime Services Board (MSB ...

. From the seventh Wran ministry in 1984 until the

Unsworth ministry The Unsworth ministry was the 79th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 36th Premier of New South Wales, Barrie Unsworth, representing the Labor Party. After the surprise announcement in June 1986 that Neville Wran w ...

in 1987 the responsibility for ports was combined with the portfolio for public works. The Minister was responsible for the co-ordination of two major organisations and various statutory bodies, administered via numerous Acts, including the ''Public Works Act, 1912 '', ''Maritime Services Act, 1935'', ''Navigation Act, 1901 '', ''Sydney Harbour Trust Act, 1900'' and ''New Darling Harbour Act, 1984''. Other legislation covered water supply administration; land acquisition; engineering and ship building; construction materials production, supply and distribution (bricks, tiles); prevention of pollution within ports; wharfage and tonnage rates. The main agencies administered by the portfolio were the

Department of Public Works This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure. See also * Public works * Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...

and Maritime Services Board. Statutory bodies included the Board of Architects of NSW; Light, Heat and Power Committee;

State Dockyard The State Dockyard was a ship building and maintenance facility operated by the Government of New South Wales in Carrington, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia between 1942 and 1987. History In 1942, the State Dockyard opened on the site of t ...

; various port advisory committees, water supply boards and drainage unions/trusts. The portfolio ceased when

Laurie Brereton Laurence John "Laurie" Brereton (born 29 May 1946) is a former Australian politician who was a state minister, a federal member of cabinet, and kingmaker in the election of several Australian Labor Party leaders, including Paul Keating and Mark ...

resigned on 26 November 1987. Public Works became a separate portfolio and the

Minister for Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government ag ...

took on the responsibility for Ports. Ports became a separate Ministry again in the third Fahey ministry. The minister took responsibility for the Maritime Services Board (later the various Waterways Authorities) and a number of statutory bodies. The portfolio was abolished in the third Carr ministry and absorbed by Transport. The portfolio of Ports had a third incarnation following a re-shuffle of the

fourth Carr ministry Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * Fourth (album), ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * The Fourth (1972 film) ...

in 2005 and the title was changed to Ports and Waterways in the

in August 2005. The portfolio was abolished in the

O'Farrell ministry The O'Farrell ministry was the 93rd ministry of the Government of New South Wales, and was led by Barry O'Farrell, the state's 43rd Premier. The Liberal–National coalition ministry was formed following the defeat of the Keneally-led Labor go ...

in 2011 when it was combined with Roads to form the portfolio of Roads and Ports.

List of ministers

References

{{Government of New South Wales Ports and Waterways