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Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)

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Minister for Foreign Affairs
Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Flag of Australia
Incumbent
Penny Wong
since May 23, 2022 (2022-5-23)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerGovernor-General
on the advice of the prime minister
Inaugural holderEdmund Barton (as Minister for External Affairs)
FormationJanuary 1, 1901 (1901-1-1)
Websitewww.foreignminister.gov.au

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, also known as the Foreign Minister, is the minister of state of the Commonwealth of Australia charged with overseeing the creation and implementation of international diplomacy, relations and foreign affairs policy, as the head of the foreign affairs section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The current Foreign Minister is Senator Penny Wong, who was appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in May 2022 following the 2022 federal election.

Wong is the first female Foreign Minister from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the third female foreign minister in a row, following Julie Bishop and Marise Payne. The position is one of two cabinet-level portfolio ministers under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the other being the Minister for Trade and Tourism. The Foreign Minister is vested with several subordinate positions, including the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, currently held by Pat Conroy, and the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, currently held by Tim Watts.

Scope

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R. G. Casey House, the headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The minister is usually one of the most senior members of Cabinet – the position is equivalent to that of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in Britain or Secretary of State in the United States – as shown by the fact that eleven Prime Ministers of Australia have also worked as the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The minister is seen as one of the people most responsible for formulating Australia's foreign policy, as they along with other relevant ministers advise the Prime Minister in developing and implementing foreign policy, and also acts as the government's main spokesperson on international affairs issues. In recent times, the minister also undertakes numerous international trips to meet with foreign representatives and Heads of State or Government.

List of ministers for foreign affairs

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The portfolio has existed continuously since 1901, except for the period 14 November 1916 to 21 December 1921. Prior to 6 November 1970, the office was known as the Minister for External Affairs. Between 24 July 1987 and 24 March 1993 it was known as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Starting with the Keating government, the Trade portfolio has been administered separately by the Minister for Trade.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs, or any of its precedent titles:[1]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Edmund Barton1 2   Protectionist Barton Minister for External Affairs January 1, 1901 (1901-1-1) September 24, 1903 (1903-9-24) 2 years, 266 days
2 Alfred Deakin1 Deakin September 24, 1903 (1903-9-24) April 27, 1904 (1904-4-27) 216 days
3 Billy Hughes Labor Watson April 27, 1904 (1904-4-27) August 17, 1904 (1904-8-17) 112 days
4 George Reid1 Free Trade Reid August 18, 1904 (1904-8-18) July 5, 1905 (1905-7-5) 321 days
n/a Alfred Deakin1 Protectionist Deakin July 5, 1905 (1905-7-5) November 13, 1908 (1908-11-13) 3 years, 131 days
5 Lee Batchelor Labor Fisher November 13, 1908 (1908-11-13) June 2, 1909 (1909-6-2) 201 days
6 Littleton Groom Liberal Deakin June 2, 1909 (1909-6-2) April 29, 1910 (1910-4-29) 331 days
n/a Lee Batchelor Labor Fisher April 29, 1910 (1910-4-29) October 8, 1911 (1911-10-8) 1 year, 162 days
7 Josiah Thomas October 14, 1911 (1911-10-14) June 24, 1913 (1913-6-24) 1 year, 253 days
8 Paddy Glynn Liberal Cook June 24, 1913 (1913-6-24) September 17, 1914 (1914-9-17) 1 year, 85 days
9 John Arthur Labor Fisher September 17, 1914 (1914-9-17) December 9, 1914 (1914-12-9) 83 days
10 Hugh Mahon December 9, 1914 (1914-12-9) October 27, 1915 (1915-10-27) 322 days
Hughes October 27, 1915 (1915-10-27) November 14, 1916 (1916-11-14) 1 year, 18 days
n/a Billy Hughes1 Nationalist Hughes Minister for External Affairs December 21, 1921 (1921-12-21) February 9, 1923 (1923-2-9) 1 year, 50 days
11 Stanley Bruce1 Bruce February 9, 1923 (1923-2-9) October 22, 1929 (1929-10-22) 6 years, 255 days
12 James Scullin1 Labor Scullin October 22, 1929 (1929-10-22) January 6, 1932 (1932-1-6) 2 years, 76 days
13 John Latham United Australia Lyons January 6, 1932 (1932-1-6) October 12, 1934 (1934-10-12) 2 years, 279 days
14 Sir George Pearce October 12, 1934 (1934-10-12) November 29, 1937 (1937-11-29) 3 years, 48 days
n/a Billy Hughes November 29, 1937 (1937-11-29) April 7, 1939 (1939-4-7) 1 year, 129 days
Page April 7, 1939 (1939-4-7) April 26, 1939 (1939-4-26) 19 days
15 Sir Henry Somer Gullett Menzies April 26, 1939 (1939-4-26) March 14, 1940 (1940-3-14) 323 days
16 John McEwen Country March 14, 1940 (1940-3-14) October 28, 1940 (1940-10-28) 228 days
17 Frederick Stewart United Australia October 28, 1940 (1940-10-28) August 29, 1941 (1941-8-29) 305 days
Fadden August 29, 1941 (1941-8-29) October 7, 1941 (1941-10-7) 39 days
18 H. V. Evatt Labor Curtin October 7, 1941 (1941-10-7) July 6, 1945 (1945-7-6) 8 years, 73 days
Forde July 6, 1945 (1945-7-6) July 13, 1945 (1945-7-13)
Chifley July 13, 1945 (1945-7-13) December 19, 1949 (1949-12-19)
19 Percy Spender Liberal Menzies December 19, 1949 (1949-12-19) April 26, 1951 (1951-4-26) 1 year, 128 days
20 Richard Casey April 27, 1951 (1951-4-27) February 4, 1960 (1960-2-4) 8 years, 283 days
21 Robert Menzies1 February 4, 1960 (1960-2-4) December 22, 1961 (1961-12-22) 1 year, 321 days
22 Sir Garfield Barwick December 22, 1961 (1961-12-22) April 24, 1964 (1964-4-24) 2 years, 124 days
23 Paul Hasluck April 24, 1964 (1964-4-24) January 26, 1966 (1966-1-26) 4 years, 293 days
Holt January 26, 1966 (1966-1-26) December 19, 1967 (1967-12-19)
McEwen December 19, 1967 (1967-12-19) January 10, 1968 (1968-1-10)
Gorton January 10, 1968 (1968-1-10) February 11, 1969 (1969-2-11)
24 Gordon Freeth February 11, 1969 (1969-2-11) November 12, 1969 (1969-11-12) 274 days
25 William McMahon November 12, 1969 (1969-11-12) November 6, 1970 (1970-11-6) 1 year, 130 days
Minister for Foreign Affairs November 6, 1970 (1970-11-6) March 10, 1971 (1971-3-10)
McMahon March 10, 1971 (1971-3-10) March 22, 1971 (1971-3-22)
26 Leslie Bury March 22, 1971 (1971-3-22) August 2, 1971 (1971-8-2) 133 days
27 Nigel Bowen August 2, 1971 (1971-8-2) December 5, 1972 (1972-12-5) 1 year, 125 days
28 Gough Whitlam1 Labor Whitlam December 5, 1972 (1972-12-5) November 6, 1973 (1973-11-6) 336 days
29 Don Willesee November 6, 1973 (1973-11-6) November 11, 1975 (1975-11-11) 2 years, 5 days
30 Andrew Peacock Liberal Fraser November 12, 1975 (1975-11-12) November 3, 1980 (1980-11-3) 4 years, 358 days
31 Tony Street November 3, 1980 (1980-11-3) March 11, 1983 (1983-3-11) 2 years, 128 days
32 Bill Hayden Labor Hawke March 11, 1983 (1983-3-11) July 24, 1987 (1987-7-24) 5 years, 159 days
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade July 24, 1987 (1987-7-24) August 17, 1988 (1988-8-17)
33 Gareth Evans September 2, 1988 (1988-9-2) December 20, 1991 (1991-12-20) 7 years, 191 days
Keating December 20, 1991 (1991-12-20) March 24, 1993 (1993-3-24)
Minister for Foreign Affairs March 24, 1993 (1993-3-24) March 11, 1996 (1996-3-11)
34 Alexander Downer Liberal Howard March 11, 1996 (1996-3-11) December 3, 2007 (2007-12-3) 11 years, 267 days
35 Stephen Smith Labor Rudd December 3, 2007 (2007-12-3) June 24, 2010 (2010-6-24) 2 years, 285 days
Gillard June 24, 2010 (2010-6-24) September 14, 2010 (2010-9-14)
36 Kevin Rudd September 14, 2010 (2010-9-14) February 22, 2012 (2012-2-22) 1 year, 161 days
37 Bob Carr March 13, 2012 (2012-3-13) June 27, 2013 (2013-6-27) 1 year, 189 days
Rudd June 27, 2013 (2013-6-27) September 18, 2013 (2013-9-18)
38 Julie Bishop Liberal Abbott September 18, 2013 (2013-9-18) September 15, 2015 (2015-9-15) 4 years, 344 days
Turnbull September 15, 2015 (2015-9-15) August 24, 2018 (2018-8-24)
Morrison August 24, 2018 (2018-8-24) August 28, 2018 (2018-8-28)
39 Marise Payne August 28, 2018 (2018-8-28) May 23, 2022 (2022-5-23) 3 years, 268 days
40 Penny Wong Labor Albanese May 23, 2022 (2022-5-23) Incumbent 2 years, 292 days

Notes

1 Also served as Prime Minister for some or all of their term.
2 Barton was knighted in 1902, while serving as Minister.

List of ministers for international development and the Pacific

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The Minister for International Development was responsible, in the Rudd Cabinet, for the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the international development and humanitarian aid policies of the Commonwealth of Australia, administered through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).[2][3][4] AusAID was abolished by the incoming prime minister, Tony Abbott, in September 2013 and under the operations of the Abbott Cabinet its functions were absorbed into DFAT.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for International Development and the Pacific, or any precedent title:

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Ministerial title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Bill Morrison   Labor Whitlam Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in matters relating to Papua New Guinea 30 November 1973 6 June 1975 1 year, 346 days
Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in matters relating to the Islands of the Pacific 6 June 1975 11 November 1975
2 Neal Blewett   Labor Hawke Minister for Trade and Overseas Development February 1, 1991 (1991-2-1) December 20, 1991 (1991-12-20) 329 days
Keating December 20, 1991 (1991-12-20) December 27, 1991 (1991-12-27)
3 John Kerin December 27, 1991 (1991-12-27) March 24, 1993 (1993-3-24) 1 year, 87 days
4 Gordon Bilney Minister for Development Cooperation and Pacific Island Affairs March 24, 1993 (1993-03-24) March 11, 1996 (1996-03-11) 2 years, 353 days
5 Melissa Parke   Labor Rudd Minister for International Development July 1, 2013 (2013-7-1) September 18, 2013 (2013-9-18) 79 days
6 Steven Ciobo   Liberal Turnbull Minister for International Development and the Pacific September 21, 2015 (2015-9-21) February 18, 2016 (2016-02-18) 150 days
7 Concetta Fierravanti-Wells February 18, 2016 (2016-02-18) August 21, 2018 (2018-08-21) 2 years, 184 days
8 Alex Hawke   Liberal Morrison Minister for International Development and the Pacific May 29, 2019 (2019-05-29) December 22, 2020 (2020-12-22) 1 year, 207 days
9 Zed Seselja December 22, 2020 (2020-12-22) May 23, 2022 (2022-05-23) 1 year, 152 days
10 Pat Conroy   Labor Albanese 1 June 2022 Incumbent 2 years, 283 days

List of ministers assisting the minister for foreign affairs

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The following individuals have been appointed as Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs or any of its precedent titles:

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Ministerial title Term start Term end Term in office
1 John Gorton   Liberal Menzies Minister Assisting the Minister for External Affairs March 23, 1960 (1960-03-23) December 18, 1963 (1963-12-18) 3 years, 270 days
2 Don Willesee   Labor Whitlam Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs 19 December 1972 6 November 1973 322 days
3 Bill Morrison Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in matters relating to Papua New Guinea 30 November 1973 6 June 1975 1 year, 346 days
Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in matters relating to the Islands of the Pacific 6 June 1975 11 November 1975
4 Gareth Evans   Labor Hawke Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs 13 December 1984 24 July 1987 2 years, 223 days

List of parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for foreign affairs

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The following individuals have been appointed as parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for Foreign Affairs or any of its precedent titles:

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Ministerial title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Stephen Martin   Labor Keating Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade December 27, 1991 (1991-12-27) March 24, 1993 (1993-03-24) 1 year, 87 days
2 Andrew Thomson   Liberal Howard Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs March 11, 1996 (1996-03-11) October 09, 1997 (1997-10-09) 1 year, 212 days
3 Kathy Sullivan October 09, 1997 (1997-10-09) February 16, 2000 (2000-02-16) 2 years, 130 days
4 Kay Patterson February 16, 2000 (2000-02-16) November 26, 2001 (2001-11-26) 1 year, 283 days
5 Chris Gallus November 26, 2001 (2001-11-26) July 18, 2004 (2004-07-18) 2 years, 235 days
6 Bruce Billson July 18, 2004 (2004-07-18) October 26, 2004 (2004-10-26) 1 year, 193 days
Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade October 26, 2004 (2004-10-26) July 06, 2005 (2005-07-06)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs July 06, 2005 (2005-07-06) January 27, 2006 (2006-01-27)
7 Teresa Gambaro January 27, 2006 (2006-01-27) January 30, 2007 (2007-01-30) 1 year, 3 days
8 Greg Hunt January 30, 2007 (2007-01-30) December 03, 2007 (2007-12-03) 307 days
9 Richard Marles   Labor Gillard Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs March 05, 2012 (2012-03-05) March 22, 2013 (2013-03-22) 362 days
10 Brett Mason   Liberal Abbott Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs September 18, 2013 (2013-09-18) December 23, 2014 (2014-12-23) 1 year, 96 days
11 Steven Ciobo December 23, 2014 (2014-12-23) September 21, 2015 (2015-09-21) 272 days
12 Tim Watts   Labor Albanese Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs 1 June 2022 Incumbent 2 years, 283 days

List of parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for international development and the pacific

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The following individuals have been appointed as parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for Foreign Affairs or any of its precedent titles:

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Ministerial title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Richard Marles   Labor Gillard Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs September 27, 2009 (2009-09-27) March 22, 2013 (2013-03-22) 3 years, 176 days
2 Matt Thistlethwaite March 22, 2013 (2013-03-22) June 27, 2013 (2013-06-27) 180 days
Rudd June 22, 2013 (2013-06-22) September 18, 2013 (2013-09-18)
3 Anne Ruston   Liberal Morrison Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific August 28, 2018 (2018-8-28) May 29, 2019 (2019-5-29) 273 days

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "Melissa Parke appointed Minister for International Development". Australian Agency for International Development (Press release). Australian Government. 1 July 2013. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Oxfam welcomes new Minister for International Development" (Press release). Oxfam Australia. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  4. ^ Betteridge, Ashlee (1 July 2013). "Rudd appoints Minister for International Development". DevPolicy Blog. Australia: Development Policy Centre. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
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