Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs explained

Post:Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
Incumbent:Tony Burke
Style:The Honourable
Appointer:Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Department:Department of Home Affairs

The Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs is a ministerial post of the Australian Government and is currently held by Tony Burke since July 2024 in the Albanese ministry.

The post was created in 1945 and its inaugural officeholder was Arthur Calwell as the Minister for Immigration. On 20 December 2017, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced a new major portfolio responsible for national security: Home Affairs.[1] The Hon Peter Dutton retained the duties of Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, with additional responsibilities awarded as the Minister for Home Affairs.[2] Following the appointment of Prime Minister Scott Morrison in August 2018, Morrison re-appointed Peter Dutton to the Home Affairs Ministry, previously introduced to the 'super-Ministry' under the Turnbull government in December 2017, and appointed David Coleman as Immigration Minister.

Scope

The portfolio and department were created 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), except that between January 1925 and January 1928 Victor Wilson and Thomas Paterson were Ministers for Markets and Migration.[3]

The Minister for Immigration, Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship was 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 have on several occasions been responsible for another portfolio in addition to immigration, such as ethnic/multicultural affairs, local government[4] or border protection.

List of ministers for immigration

The following individuals have held responsibility for immigration:[5]

width=5 Orderwidth=150 Ministerwidth=75 colspan="2" Partywidth=150 Prime Ministerwidth=375 Titlewidth=150 Term startwidth=150 Term endwidth=130 Term in office
1Arthur Calwell LaborChifleyMinister for Immigrationalign=center align=center
2Harold HoltLiberalMenziesalign=center align=center
3Athol Townleyalign=center align=center
4Alick Downeralign=center align=center
5Hubert Oppermanalign=center align=center
Holtalign=center align=center
6Billy Sneddenalign=center align=center
McEwenalign=center align=center
Gortonalign=center align=center
7Phillip LynchMcMahonalign=center align=center
8Jim Forbesalign=center align=center
9Lance BarnardLaborWhitlamalign=center align=center days
10Al Grassbyalign=center align=center
11Clyde CameronMinister for Labour and Immigrationalign=center align=center days
12Jim McClellandalign=center align=center days
13Tony StreetLiberalFraseralign=center align=center days
14Michael MacKellarMinister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairsalign=center align=center
15Ian Macpheealign=center align=center
16John Hodgesalign=center align=center days
17Stewart WestLaborHawkealign=center align=center
18Chris Hurfordalign=center align=center
19Mick YoungMinister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairsalign=center align=center days
20Clyde Holdingalign=center align=center days
21Robert Rayalign=center align=center
22Gerry Handalign=center align=center
Keatingalign=center align=center
23Nick BolkusMinister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairsalign=center align=center
24Philip RuddockLiberalHowardMinister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
Minister for Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairsalign=center align=center
25Amanda Vanstonealign=center align=center
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
26Kevin AndrewsMinister for Immigration and Citizenshipalign=center align=center days
27Chris EvansLaborRuddalign=center align=center
Gillardalign=center align=center
28Chris Bowenalign=center align=center
29Brendan O'Connoralign=center align=center days
30Tony BurkeRuddMinister for Immigration, Multicultural Affairs and Citizenshipalign=center align=center days
31Scott MorrisonLiberalAbbottMinister for Immigration and Border Protectionalign=center align=center
32Peter Duttonalign=center align=center
Turnbullalign=center align=center
33David ColemanMorrisonMinister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
(acting)Alan Tudgealign=center align=center
34Alex Hawkealign=center align=center
35Andrew GilesLaborAlbaneseMinister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
(30)Tony BurkeMinister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center incumbent

Notes

Barnard was one of a two-man ministry consisting of himself and Gough Whitlam for two weeks until the full ministry was announced.

List of ministers for citizenship and multicultural affairs

On the third Hawke ministry implemented a two-level ministerial structure, with distinctions drawn between senior and junior ministers. This arrangement has been continued by subsequent governments; although there has not always been a junior minister in the immigration portfolio. Senior ministers are shown above. Junior ministers are shown below. The following individuals have held responsibility for citizenship and multicultural affairs or any precedent titles:[5]

width=5 Orderwidth=150 Ministerwidth=75 colspan="2" Party affiliationwidth=150 Prime Ministerwidth=375 Ministerial titlewidth=150 Term startwidth=150 Term endwidth=130 Term in office
1Clyde Holding LaborHawkeMinister Assisting the Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairsalign=center align=center align=right
2Gary Hardgrave LiberalHowardMinister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center align=right
3Peter McGauran Nationalalign=center align=center align=right days
4John Cobbalign=center align=center align=right days
5Kate Lundy LaborGillardMinister for Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
Ruddalign=center align=center
align=center 6Alan Tudge LiberalTurnbullMinister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center align=right
7David ColemanMorrisonMinister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
(acting)Alan Tudgealign=center align=center
8Alex Hawkealign=center align=center
9Andrew GilesLaborAlbaneseMinister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
10Tony BurkeMinister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center incumbent

Assistant ministers

Assistant ministers for immigration

The following individuals served as the Assistant Minister for Immigration, or any precedent titles:[5]

width=5 Orderwidth=150 Ministerwidth=75 colspan="2" Party affiliationwidth=120 Prime Ministerwidth=405 Ministerial titlewidth=150 Term startwidth=150 Term endwidth=130 Term in office
1Teresa GambaroLiberalHowardParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenshipalign=center align=center days
Assistant Minister for Immigration and Citizenshipalign=center align=center
2Laurie FergusonLaborRuddParliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services
Gillard
3Kate LundyParliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Citizenshipalign=center align=center
Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
4Michaelia CashLiberalAbbottAssistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protectionalign=center align=center
Turnbullalign=center align=center 21 September 2015
5James McGrathLiberalTurnbullAssistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protectionalign=center align=center align=right days
6Alex Hawkealign=center align=center align=right
7Matt ThistlethwaiteLaborAlbaneseAssistant Minister for Immigrationalign=center align=center incumbentalign=right

Assistant ministers for citizenship and multicultural affairs

The following individuals served as the Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, or any precedent titles:[5]

width=5 Orderwidth=150 Ministerwidth=75 colspan="2" Party affiliationwidth=120 Prime Ministerwidth=405 Ministerial titlewidth=150 Term startwidth=150 Term endwidth=130 Term in office
1Teresa GambaroLiberalHowardParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenshipalign=center align=center days
Assistant Minister for Immigration and Citizenshipalign=center align=center
2Laurie FergusonLaborRuddParliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services
Gillard
3Kate LundyParliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Citizenshipalign=center align=center
Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center
4Matt ThistlethwaiteLaborGillardParliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs days
Rudd
5Concetta Fierravanti-WellsLiberalTurnbullalign=center align=center align=right days
6  days
7  
8Jason WoodLiberalMorrisonAssistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center align=right
9Julian HillLaborAlbaneseAssistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairsalign=center align=center incumbentalign=right

Notes and References

  1. Peter Dutton will become Minister for Home Affairs, for the first time bringing together the nation’s security, border and intelligence agencies under one department. As Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton will be supported by two Ministers: Angus Taylor as Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity and Alan Tudge as Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. He will also continue to have the assistance of Alex Hawke as Assistant Minister for Home Affairs. The Department of Home Affairs will keep Australians safer by ensuring full coordination between ASIO, the AFP, Australian Border Force, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and AUSTRAC. It will also contribute enormously to nation building through its focus on our immigration program.. Ministerial Arrangements. 20 December 2017. Government of Australia. Turnbull, Malcolm. Malcolm Turnbull. 3 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180313005337/https://www.pm.gov.au/media/ministerial-arrangements-2. 13 March 2018. dead.
  2. Web site: Australian Government Ministry List as at 20 December 2017. 20 December 2017. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia. 3 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20171226234430/https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/ministry-list-20-dec-2017.pdf. 26 December 2017. dead.
  3. Web site: From Calwell Onward: Immigration Ministers in the Library's Oral History Collection . . June 2005 .
  4. Web site: Immigration Ministers in Manuscripts . . August 2005 .
  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 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs".

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