The Minister for Home Affairs in the
Government of Australia is the minister responsible for the
Department of Home Affairs
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministr ...
, the country's
interior ministry
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministr ...
. The current minister is
Clare O'Neil of the
Labor Party, who has held the position since 1 June 2022 in the
Albanese ministry.
The current Department of Home Affairs was created in December 2017. The
first department with that name was created in 1901, as one of the original six departments created at
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 ...
, and was responsible for a wide range of areas not captured by the other departments. Similar departments have existed in almost all subsequent governments, under several different names. The specific title "Minister for Home Affairs" has been created six times – in 1901, 1929, 1977, 1987, 2007 and 2017.
History
The Minister for Home Affairs was a ministerial portfolio that existed continuously from 1901 to 12 April 1932, when
Archdale Parkhill became
Minister for the Interior
Minister may refer to:
* Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric
** Minister (Catholic Church)
* Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department)
** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...
in the
first Lyons Ministry—subsuming his portfolios of Home Affairs and
Transport
Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipelin ...
.
The Home Affairs or Interior portfolio was responsible for various internal matters not handled by other ministries. In due course, other portfolios were established that took over functions from it, including:
*
Transport
Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipelin ...
from 1928 to 1932 and continuously since 1941
*
Immigration
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, ...
since 1945
*
Agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...
since 1942
*
Industry from 1928 to 1945 and since 1963
The
Minister for the Interior
Minister may refer to:
* Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric
** Minister (Catholic Church)
* Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department)
** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...
existed from 1932 to 1972. The
Territories of Australia portfolio has been the responsibility for the varying titles of the
Minister for Territories.
The Home Affairs Ministry was re-established in 2007, assuming the responsibilities of the
Minister for Justice and Customs within the
Attorney-General's Department with policy responsibilities for criminal justice, law enforcement, border control and national security and with oversight responsibilities of the
Australian Customs Service and the
Border Protection Command, the
Australian Federal Police, the
Australian Crime Commission, and the
Office of Film and Literature Classification.
From September 2010 to September 2013, the Minister for Home Affairs also held the position of
Minister for Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry.
Lists of current ministries of justice
Named "Ministry"
* Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia)
* Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan)
* Ministry of Justi ...
. In September 2013 with the change of government, the position Minister for Home Affairs was disbanded and its responsibilities were assumed by the newly created
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection for
border control and by the
Minister for Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry.
Lists of current ministries of justice
Named "Ministry"
* Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia)
* Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan)
* Ministry of Justi ...
for
law enforcement
Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term ...
.
On 18 July 2017, Prime Minister
Malcolm Turnbull announced the creation of a new home affairs department to be headed by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, with responsibility for immigration, border control, domestic security, and law enforcement.
On 20 December 2017, Governor-General
Peter Cosgrove swore Dutton into the position of Minister for Home Affairs. The Home Affairs portfolio was formed by way of an
Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 20 December 2017
with responsibilities for national security including cybersecurity and counterterrorism, law enforcement, emergency management, transport security, immigration, citizenship, border control, and multicultural affairs.
List of Ministers for Home Affairs
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Home Affairs, or any of its related titles:
List of Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs
The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs, or any of its related titles:
[
]
Former ministerial titles
List of ministers for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, or any of its related titles:[
]
List of ministers for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity, or any of its related titles:[
]
List of Assistant Ministers for Home Affairs
The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Home Affairs, or any of its related titles:[
]
See also
* Department of Home Affairs (1901–16)
* Department of Home and Territories (1916–1928)
* Department of Home Affairs (1928–32)
* Department of the Interior (1932–39)
* Department of the Interior (1939–72)
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...
* Department of Home Affairs (1977–80)
* Department of Home Affairs and Environment (1980–84)
* Department of Home Affairs (2017–Present)
References
External links
*
{{Australian federal ministerial portfolios
Home Affairs
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...