- Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (Australia)
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Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Style The Honourable Appointer Prime Minister of Australia Inaugural holder Arthur Calwell Formation 1945 In the Government of Australia, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship is responsible for overseeing the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
The portfolio and department came into being in July 1945, during the last months of World War II. Previously, immigration affairs were handled by the Minister for Home Affairs (1901–1932) and the Minister for the Interior (1932–1945). An exception was between January 1925 and January 1928, when Reginald Wilson and Thomas Paterson were Ministers for Markets and Migration.
The minister is usually one of the senior members of Cabinet, although between the Tenth Menzies Ministry and the Third Fraser Ministry, the post was downgraded to that of a junior minister. The minister and department has on several occasions been responsible for another portfolio in addition to immigration, such as ethnic/multicultural affairs or local government.
The current Minister for Immigration and Citizenship is Chris Bowen
Contents
List of Ministers for Immigration and Citizenship
# Politician Party From To Titles/Other portfolios 1 Arthur Calwell Australian Labor Party 13 July 1945 19 December 1949 2 Harold Holt Liberal Party of Australia 19 December 1949 24 October 1956 3 Athol Townley Liberal Party of Australia 24 October 1956 19 March 1958 4 Alexander Downer, Sr. Liberal Party of Australia 19 March 1958 18 December 1963 5 Hubert Opperman Liberal Party of Australia 18 December 1963 14 December 1966 6 Billy Snedden Liberal Party of Australia 14 December 1966 12 November 1969 7 Phillip Lynch Liberal Party of Australia 12 November 1969 22 March 1971 8 Jim Forbes Liberal Party of Australia 22 March 1971 5 December 1972 9 Lance Barnard Australian Labor Party 5 December 1972 19 December 1972 see note 10 Al Grassby Australian Labor Party 19 December 1972 12 June 1974 11 Clyde Cameron Australian Labor Party 12 June 1974 6 June 1975 Labour 12 Jim McClelland Australian Labor Party 6 June 1975 11 November 1975 Labour 13 Tony Street Liberal Party of Australia 12 November 1975 22 December 1975 Labour 14 Michael MacKellar Liberal Party of Australia 22 December 1975 8 December 1979 Ethnic Affairs 15 Ian Macphee Liberal Party of Australia 8 December 1979 7 May 1982 Ethnic Affairs 16 John Hodges Liberal Party of Australia 7 May 1982 11 March 1983 Ethnic Affairs 17 Stewart West Australian Labor Party 11 March 1983 13 December 1984 Ethnic Affairs 18 Chris Hurford Australian Labor Party 13 December 1984 16 February 1987 Ethnic Affairs 19 Mick Young Australian Labor Party 16 February 1987 12 February 1988 Local Government and Ethnic Affairs 20 Clyde Holding Australian Labor Party 12 February 1988 2 September 1988 Local Government and Ethnic Affairs 21 Robert Ray Australian Labor Party 2 September 1988 4 April 1990 Local Government and Ethnic Affairs 22 Gerry Hand Australian Labor Party 4 April 1990 24 March 1993 Local Government and Ethnic Affairs 23 Nick Bolkus Australian Labor Party 24 March 1993 11 March 1996 Ethnic Affairs 24 Philip Ruddock Liberal Party of Australia 11 March 1996 7 October 2003 Multicultural Affairs (until 26 November 2001)
Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (from 26 November 2001)25 Amanda Vanstone Liberal Party of Australia 7 October 2003 23 January 2007 Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (until 27 January 2006)
Multicultural Affairs (from 27 January 2006)26 Kevin Andrews Liberal Party of Australia 23 January 2007 3 December 2007 Citizenship 27 Chris Evans Australian Labor Party 3 December 2007 14 September 2010 Citizenship 28 Chris Bowen Australian Labor Party 14 September 2010 Incumbent Citizenship Notes
- Lance Barnard was one of a two-man ministry consisting of himself and Gough Whitlam for two weeks until the full ministry was announced.
See also
References
- From Calwell Onward: Immigration Ministers in the Library’s Oral History Collection, National Library of Australia, June 2005.
- Immigration Ministers in Manuscripts, National Library of Australia, August 2005.
External links
Categories:- Lists of government ministers of Australia
- Immigration to Australia
- Immigration ministers
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