- Minister for Health and Ageing (Australia)
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Minister for Health and Ageing Style The Honourable Appointer Prime Minister of Australia Inaugural holder Robert Best Formation 1908 The Minister for Health and Ageing is a portfolio in the Government of Australia with the responsibility for national health policy. The current Minister for Health and Ageing is Nicola Roxon. The ministry is administered through the Department of Health and Ageing.[1]
Contents
History
Under Secta ion 51(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. 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. 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.
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 1972-1975 under Doug Everingham, the Ministry was named the "Ministry of Helth" in some contexts due to Everingham's support of Spelling Reform.[2][3][4]
List of Ministers for Health
Minister Party affiliation Period Prime
MinisterMinisterial Title Robert Best Commonwealth Liberal Party 1908–1910 Deakin Minister for Trade and Customs Frank Tudor Australian Labor Party 1910–1913 Fisher Littleton Groom Commonwealth Liberal Party 1913–1914 Cook Frank Tudor Australian Labor Party 1914–1915 Fisher 1915–1916 Hughes Billy Hughes 1916 William Archibald National Labor Party 1916–1917 Jens Jensen Nationalist 1917–1918 William Watt 1918–1919 Walter Massy-Greene 1919–1921 1921–1923 Minister for Health Austin Chapman 1923–1924 Bruce Littleton Groom 1924 Herbert Pratten 1924–1925 Sir Neville Howse 1925–1927 Stanley Bruce 1927–1928 Sir Neville Howse 1928–1929 Frank Anstey Australian Labor Party 1929–1931 Scullin John McNeill 1931–1932 Charles Marr United Australia Party 1932–1934 Lyons Billy Hughes 1934–1935 Joseph Lyons 1935–1936 Billy Hughes 1936–1937 (Sir) Earle Page Country Party 1937–1938 Harry Foll United Australia Party 1938–1939 1939 Page Sir Frederick Stewart 1939–1940 Menzies Harold Thorby Country Party 1940 Sir Frederick Stewart United Australia Party 1940–1941 1941 Fadden Jack Holloway Australian Labor Party 1941–1943 Curtin James Fraser 1943–1945 1945 Forde 1945–1946 Chifley Nick McKenna 1946–1949 Sir Earle Page Country Party 1949–1956 Menzies Donald Cameron Liberal Party 1956–1961 Harrie Wade Country Party 1961–1964 Reginald Swartz Liberal Party 1964–1966 Jim Forbes 1966–1971 Holt 1967–1968 McEwen 1968–1971 Gorton 1971 McMahon Ivor Greenwood 1971 Sir Ken Anderson 1971–1972 Lance Barnard Australian Labor Party 1972 Whitlam Doug Everingham 1972–1975 Minister for Helth (or Health)[note 1] Don Chipp Liberal Party 1975 Fraser Minister for Health Ralph Hunt National Country Party 1975–1979 Michael MacKellar Liberal Party 1979–1982 Peter Baume 1982 Jim Carlton 1982–1983 Neal Blewett Australian Labor Party 1983–1987 Hawke 1987–1990 Minister for Community Services and Health Brian Howe 1990–1991 1991–1993 Keating Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services Graham Richardson 1993–1994 Minister for Health Carmen Lawrence 1994–1996 Minister for Human Services and Health Michael Wooldridge Liberal Party 1996–1998 Howard Minister for Health and Family Services 1998–2001 Minister for Health and Aged Care Kay Patterson 2001–2003 Minister for Health and Ageing Tony Abbott 2003–2007 Nicola Roxon Australian Labor Party 2007–2010 Rudd 2010- Gillard Notes
- ^ Everingham was a supporter of Spelling Reform (see above).
Notes
- ^ "Rudd Ministry" (PDF). Government of Australia. http://www.pmc.gov.au/parliamentary/docs/ministry_list_feb_2008.pdf. Retrieved 2008-02-13.
- ^ Sampson, Geoffrey.Writing Systems. Stanford University Press, 1990. p.197.
- ^ Second Reading (Budget Debate) APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 1) 1973-74 in Australian House of Representatives Hansard
- ^ http://www.englishspellingsociety.org/journals/j9/sr1.php
External links
Categories:- Lists of Australian people by occupation
- Lists of government ministers of Australia
- Health ministers
- Health in Australia
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