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The Minister for Health and Aged Care is the position in the Australian cabinet responsible for national health and wellbeing and medical research. The incumbent Minister is Labor MP Mark Butler. In the
Government of Australia The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...
, the minister is responsible for national health and medical research policy, providing direction and oversight of the Department of Health and Aged Care.


History

Under Section 55(ix) of the
Australian Constitution The Constitution of Australia (or Australian Constitution) is a constitutional document that is supreme law in Australia. It establishes Australia as a federation under a constitutional monarchy and outlines the structure and powers of the Au ...
, the
Commonwealth Parliament The Parliament of Australia (officially the Federal Parliament, also called the Commonwealth Parliament) is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch (represented by the governor-gen ...
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 Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
in which the Commonwealth had authority at the time of
Federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-gover ...
. The federal parliament did not use this power until the proclamation of the ''
Quarantine Act 1908 The ''Quarantine Act 1908'' (Cth) was an Act of the Parliament of Australia which is no longer in effect. It was assented to on 30 March 1908. It was superseded by the ''Biosecurity Act 2015'' and repealed on 16 June 2016. History Australia i ...
'', 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 A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their ...
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 f Australiawith 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 ic in some informal contexts due to Everingham's support of
Spelling Reform A spelling reform is a deliberate, often authoritatively sanctioned or mandated change to spelling rules. Proposals for such reform are fairly common, and over the years, many languages have undergone such reforms. Recent high-profile examples ar ...
.


List of Ministers for Health

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Health, or any of its precedent titles: Notes : Barnard was part of a two-man ministry that comprised just
Gough Whitlam Edward Gough Whitlam (11 July 191621 October 2014) was the 21st prime minister of Australia, serving from 1972 to 1975. The longest-serving federal leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1967 to 1977, he was notable for being the he ...
and Barnard for fourteen days until the full ministry was announced. : Doug Everingham was a supporter of
Spelling Reform A spelling reform is a deliberate, often authoritatively sanctioned or mandated change to spelling rules. Proposals for such reform are fairly common, and over the years, many languages have undergone such reforms. Recent high-profile examples ar ...
and he preferred to spell it "Helth", but this was not the formal spelling of the portfolio's name (see above). : Senator Gallagher is part of an interim Albanese ministry that consisted of
Anthony Albanese Anthony Norman Albanese ( or ; born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician serving as the 31st and current prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since 2019 and the member of parliam ...
, Richard Marles,
Penny Wong Penelope Ying-Yen Wong (born 5 November 1968) is an Australian politician who has been Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate in the Albanese Government since 2022. A member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) ...
,
Jim Chalmers James Edward Chalmers (born 2 March 1978) is an Australian politician, currently serving as Treasurer of Australia since 23 May 2022. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has served as a member of parliament for the division ...
and herself for the next seven days until the full ministry is expected to be announced on 1 June 2022.


List of Ministers for Aged Care

The following individuals have been appointed as the Minister for Aged Care, or any of its precedent titles: The position, since January 2017, is a separate outer ministry role that supplements the cabinet role of the Minister for Heath and Aged Care.


List of Assistant Ministers of Health and Aged Care

The following individual has been appointed as Assistant Ministers of Health and Aged Care, or any of its precedent titles:


List of Assistant Ministers for Indigenous Health

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


List of Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health, or any of its precedent titles:


List of Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, or any of its precedent titles:


References


External links

* {{Australian federal ministerial portfolios Ministers for Health Health and Aged Care Australian Ministers for Health