Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government in the Government of Australia is a position currently held by Catherine King following the swearing in of the full Albanese ministry on 1 June 2022.
The Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories is a position currently held by Kristy McBain.
Scope
In the Government of Australia, the minister for infrastructure has overall responsibility for all of the matters falling within the Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications portfolio, including regulation, safety and funding in relation to aviation, shipping, roads and railways and policy on regional development and local government.
History
Under the Constitution of Australia the federal government was not given any specific responsibilities for transport, except for "railway construction and extension in any State with the consent of that State" (section 51(xxxiv)). In 1916, Billy Hughes appointed Patrick Lynch as Minister for Works and Railways to administer Commonwealth Railways and the construction of the Trans-Australian Railway. In December 1928, Stanley Bruce appointed Thomas Paterson as Minister for Markets and Transport, which included responsibility for funding road construction via grants to the states. In January 1932, this portfolio was renamed Minister for Transport, but in April 1932 it was absorbed into the new portfolio of Minister for the Interior along with the position of Minister for Works and Railways.
In December 1938, with the growth of significance of civil aviation and the commonwealth's assumption of responsibility for regulating it under international treaties, Joseph Lyons appointed Harold Thorby as the first Minister for Civil Aviation. In 1941 Robert Menzies re-established the transport portfolio with the appointment of Hubert Lawrence Anthony. The Curtin government was determined to establish a government shipping company, ultimately the Australian National Lines, and John Curtin appointed Jack Beasley as Minister for Supply and Development in 1941. This position was renamed Minister for Shipping, Fuel and Transport in 1950 under the Menzies government and Minister for Shipping and Transport in 1951. Gough Whitlam combined the transport and civil aviation portfolios in 1973, but it was re-divided with Malcolm Fraser's appointment of Wal Fife as Minister for Aviation in 1982. Bob Hawke abolished the aviation portfolio in 1987 with the creation of the "super" departments. Since 1987, there has been a single senior transport minister in Cabinet.
Agency and bodies
Other agencies and bodies the portfolio include:
- Australian Transport Safety Bureau
- Airservices Australia
- Australian Bicycle Council
- Australian Global Navigation Satellite System Coordination Committee (AGCC)
- Australian Local Government and Planning Ministers' Council
- Australian Maritime College
- Australian Maritime Safety Authority
- Australian Motor Vehicle Certification Board
- Australian Rail Operations Unit
- Australian Rail Track Corporation
- Australian Transport Advisory Council
- Christmas Island Administration
- Civil Aviation Safety Authority
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands Administration
- East Kimberley Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Indigenous Trial
- International Air Services Commission
- Jervis Bay Territory Administration
- Local Government and Planning Joint Committee
- National Capital Authority
- National Transport Commission
- Navigation Safety Advisory Committee
- Administrator of the Northern Territory
- Office of the Administrator Norfolk Island
- Regional Development Council
- Regional Women's Advisory Council
- Standing Committee on Regional Development Secretariat
- Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee
- Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme Review Authority
List of ministers for infrastructure and transport
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, or any precedent titles:
List of ministers for regional development
The following individuals have been appointed Minister for Regional Development, or any precedent titles:
List of ministers for local government
The following individuals have been appointed Minister for Local Government, or any precedent titles:
List of ministers for cities
The following individuals have served as the Minister for Cities, or any other precedent titles: The Minister for Sustainable Population was a ministerial portfolio administered through the Department of the Treasury responsible for "planning properly for the infrastructure needs, for the housing needs, for the transport needs, for the regional needs" of the Australian population of the future. Originally entitled the Minister for Population by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, his successor, Julia Gillard, renamed the portfolio to the Minister for Sustainable Population to reflect her policy changes on the matter of population growth and the need for a sustainable future for Australia, saying the change sends a clear message about the new direction the Government is taking. After the 2010 federal election, the portfolio was subsumed by the Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities portfolio.
Former ministerial titles and portfolios
List of ministers for aviation
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Aviation, or any precedent titles:
List of ministers for shipping
The following individuals were appointed as Ministers for Shipping, or any precedent titles:
List of ministers for works
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Works, or any precedent titles:
Notes
- 1 Whitlam was one of a two-man ministry consisting of himself and Lance Barnard for two weeks until the full ministry was announced.
List of ministers for land transport
Since the creation of the enlarged portfolios in the third Hawke ministry on 24 July 1987 there has usually been a minister or assistant outside cabinet supporting the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, or any precedent title.