Minister for Health and Aged Care explained

Post:Minister for Health and Aged Care
Insignia:Coat_of_Arms_of_Australia.svg
Insigniacaption:Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Flag:Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Flagcaption:Flag of Australia
Flagborder:yes
Incumbent:Mark Butler
Style:The Honourable
Appointer:Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Department:Department of Health and Aged Care

The Minister for Health and Aged Care is the position in the Australian cabinet responsible for national health and wellbeing and medical research. The incumbent Minister is Labor MP Mark Butler.

In the Government of Australia, the minister is responsible for national health and medical research policy, providing direction and oversight of the Department of Health and Aged Care.

History

Under Section 55(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,[1] on 30 March 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 in the fifth Hughes Ministry. 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. From 1987 until the establishment of the current department in 2013, the department controlled by the minister had various different names – Department of Community Services and Health (1987–1991), Department of Health, Housing and Community Services (1991–1993), Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services (1993), Department of Human Services and Health (1993–1996), Department of Health and Family Services (1996–1998), Department of Health and Aged Care (1998–2001), and Department of Health and Ageing (2001–2013).

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 to 1975 under Doug Everingham, the minister was named the "Minister for Helth" in some informal contexts due to Everingham's support of Spelling Reform.[2] [3] [4]

List of ministers

Health

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Health, or any of its precedent titles:[5]

width=5 Orderwidth=150 Ministerwidth=150 colspan="2" Partywidth=75 Prime Ministerwidth=325 Titlewidth=150 Term startwidth=150 Term endwidth=130 Term in office
1Walter Massy-GreeneNationalistHughesMinister for Healthalign=center align=center align=right
2Austin ChapmanBrucealign=center align=center align=right
3Littleton Groomalign=center align=center align=right days
4Herbert Prattenalign=center align=center align=right days
5Sir Neville Howsealign=center align=center align=right
6Stanley Brucealign=center align=center align=right days
(5)Sir Neville Howsealign=center align=center align=right
7Frank AnsteyLaborScullinalign=center align=center align=right
8John McNeillalign=center align=center align=right days
9Charles MarrUnited AustraliaLyonsalign=center align=center align=right
10Billy Hughesalign=center align=center align=right
11Joseph Lyonsalign=center align=center align=right days
(10)Billy Hughesalign=center align=center align=right
12Sir Earle PageCountryalign=center align=center align=right days
13Harry FollUnited Australiaalign=center align=center days
Pagealign=center align=center
14Sir Frederick StewartMenziesalign=center align=center align=right days
15Harold ThorbyCountryalign=center align=center align=right days
(14)Sir Frederick StewartUnited Australiaalign=center align=center days
Faddenalign=center align=center
16Jack HollowayLaborCurtinalign=center align=center align=right
17James Fraseralign=center align=center align=right
Fordealign=center align=center align=right days
Chifleyalign=center align=center align=right days
18Nick McKennaalign=center align=center align=right
(12)Sir Earle PageCountryMenziesalign=center align=center align=right
19Donald CameronLiberalalign=center align=center align=right
20Harrie WadeCountryalign=center align=center align=right
21Reginald SwartzLiberalalign=center align=center align=right
22Jim ForbesHoltalign=center align=center
McEwenalign=center align=center
Gortonalign=center align=center
McMahonalign=center align=center
23Ivor Greenwoodalign=center align=center align=right days
24Sir Ken Andersonalign=center align=center align=right
25Lance BarnardLaborWhitlamalign=center align=center align=right days
26Doug EveringhamMinister for Healthalign=center align=center align=right
27Don ChippLiberalFraserMinister for Healthalign=center align=center align=right days
28Ralph HuntNational Countryalign=center align=center align=right
29Michael MacKellarLiberalalign=center align=center align=right
30Peter Baumealign=center align=center align=right days
31Jim Carltonalign=center align=center align=right days
32Neal BlewettLaborHawkealign=center align=center
Minister for Community Services and Healthalign=center align=center
33Brian Howealign=center align=center
KeatingMinister for Health, Housing and Community Servicesalign=center align=center
34Graham RichardsonMinister for Healthalign=center align=center align=right
35Carmen LawrenceMinister for Human Services and Healthalign=center align=center align=right
36Michael WooldridgeLiberalHowardMinister for Health and Family Servicesalign=center align=center
Minister for Health and Aged Carealign=center align=center
37Kay PattersonMinister for Health and Ageingalign=center align=center align=right
38Tony Abbottalign=center align=center align=right
39Nicola RoxonLaborRuddalign=center align=center
Gillardalign=center align=center
40Tanya PlibersekMinister for Healthalign=center align=center
RuddMinister for Health and Medical Researchalign=center align=center
41Peter DuttonLiberalAbbottMinister for Healthalign=center align=center align=right
42Sussan Leyalign=center align=center
Turnbullalign=center align=center
Minister for Health and Ageingalign=center align=center
(acting)Arthur Sinodinos[6] align=center align=center align=right
43Greg HuntMinister for Healthalign=center align=center
Morrisonalign=center align=center
Minister for Health and Aged Carealign=center
Scott Morrison [7] Minister for Healthalign=center align=right
(acting)Katy Gallagher [8] LaborAlbaneseMinister for Health and Aged Carealign=center
44Mark Butleralign=center align=center Incumbent

Notes

Barnard was part of a two-man ministry that comprised just Gough Whitlam and Barnard for fourteen days until the full ministry was announced.

Doug Everingham was a supporter of Spelling Reform and he preferred to spell it "Helth", but this was not the formal spelling of the portfolio's name (see above).

Morrison was appointed as Minister for Health by the Governor-General on Morrison's advice in March 2020, with both Morrison and Hunt holding the position of Minister for Health until May 2022. However, the appointment of Morrison was not made public until August 2022.

Senator Gallagher is part of an interim Albanese ministry that consisted of Anthony Albanese, Richard Marles, Penny Wong, Jim Chalmers and herself until the full ministry was sworn in on 1 June 2022.

Aged care

List of assistant ministers

Health and aged care

The following individual has been appointed as Assistant Ministers of Health and Aged Care, or any of its precedent titles:

width=5 Orderwidth=150 Ministerwidth=150 colspan="2" Partywidth=75 Prime Ministerwidth=325 Titlewidth=150 Term startwidth=150 Term endwidth=130 Term in office
1Christopher Pyne LiberalHowardAssistant Minister for Health and Ageingalign=center align=center align=right days
2Ken WyattLiberalTurnbullAssistant Minister for Healthalign=center align=center
Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Carealign=center align=center
align=center 3David GillespieNationalsAssistant Minister for Healthalign=center align=center align=right
4Ged Kearney LaborAlbaneseAssistant Minister for Health and Aged Carealign=center align=center Incumbentalign=right

Indigenous health

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health, or any of its precedent titles:

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1Warren SnowdonLaborRuddMinister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Deliveryalign=center 9 June 2009align=center 24 June 2010
Gillardalign=center 24 June 2010align=center 14 September 2010
Minister for Indigenous Healthalign=center 14 September 2010align=center 27 June 2013
Ruddalign=center 27 June 2013align=center 18 September 2013
2Ken Wyatt LiberalTurnbull
Morrison		Minister for Indigenous Healthalign=center align=center align=right
3Malarndirri McCarthyLaborAlbaneseAssistant Minister for Indigenous Healthalign=center align=center align=right
4Ged Kearneyalign=center align=center Incumbentalign=right

Rural and regional health

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health, or any of its precedent titles:

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1Warren SnowdonLaborRuddMinister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Deliveryalign=center 9 June 2009align=center 24 June 2010
Gillardalign=center 24 June 2010align=center 14 September 2010
2Fiona NashNationalsTurnbullMinister for Rural Healthalign=center align=center align=right
3David GillespieAssistant Minister for Rural Healthalign=center align=center
Assistant Minister for Healthalign=center align=center
4Bridget McKenzieMinister for Rural Healthalign=center align=center align=right
5Mark Coulton NationalsMorrisonMinister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Governmentalign=center align=center align=right
(3)David GillespieMinister for Regional Healthalign=center align=center align=right
6Emma McBride LaborAlbaneseAssistant Minister for Rural and Regional Healthalign=center align=center Incumbentalign=right

Mental health and suicide prevention

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, or any of its precedent titles:

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
align=center 1Melissa ParkeLaborGillardParliamentary Secretary for Mental Healthalign=center align=center align=right
align=center 2David ColemanLiberalMorrisonAssistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Preventionalign=center align=center align=right
align=center 3Emma McBrideLaborAlbaneseAssistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Preventionalign=center align=center Incumbentalign=right

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Communicable Diseases Surveillance: Surveillance Systems . . Commonwealth of Australia . 12 February 2009 . 13 July 2013 .
  2. Book: Sampson, Geoffrey . Writing Systems . Stanford University Press . 1990 . 197 .
  3. Web site: Everingham, Hon. Douglas Nixon 'Doug' . PDF . . . 5 September 2017 . 18 July 2023 . Landry, Michelle . Michelle Landry.
  4. Web site: The Case for SR1 and Nothing Else. . 11 April 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101231123334/http://www.englishspellingsociety.org/journals/j9/sr1.php . 31 December 2010 .
  5. Web site: Ministries and Cabinets . 43rd Parliamentary Handbook: Historical information on the Australian Parliament . . 2010 . 9 July 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140813030853/http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p%3Badv%3Dyes%3BorderBy%3Dcustomrank%3Bpage%3D2%3Bquery%3DLazzarini%3Brec%3D12%3BresCount%3DDefault . 13 August 2014 .
  6. News: Stephanie. Anderson. Greg Hunt announced as Sussan Ley's replacement as Health Minister. ABC News. 18 January 2017. 2 June 2019.
  7. Web site: Anthony Albanese reveals former prime minister Scott Morrison secretly appointed himself to five ministries in power grab. ABC News. 16 August 2022.
  8. Web site: ATAGI expands COVID-19 booster access to allow more people to get a fourth dose. ABC News. 25 May 2022.

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