Style The Honourable Formation 1 January 1901 | Inaugural holder Sir Edmund Barton | |
 | ||
Appointer Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia | ||
The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs is the Hon. Julie Bishop MP, since 18 September 2013.
Contents
- Scope
- List of ministers for foreign affairs
- List of ministers assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs
- List of Ministers for International Development and the Pacific
- List of ministers for tourism
- References
The Minister for International Development and the Pacific is Senator the Hon. Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, since 18 February 2016.
In the Government of Australia, the minister is responsible for overseeing the international diplomacy section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In common with international practice, the office is often informally referred to as Foreign Minister.
Scope
The minister is usually one of the most senior members of Cabinet – the position is equivalent to that of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in Britain or Secretary of State in the United States – as shown by the fact that eleven Prime Ministers of Australia have also worked as the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The minister is seen as one of the people most responsible for formulating Australia's foreign policy, as they along with other relevant ministers advise the Prime Minister in developing and implementing foreign policy, and also acts as the government's main spokesperson on international affairs issues. In recent times, the minister also undertakes numerous international trips to meet with foreign representatives and Heads of State or Government.
List of ministers for foreign affairs
The portfolio has existed continuously since 1901, except for the period 14 November 1916 to 21 December 1921. Prior to 6 November 1970, the office was known as the Minister for External Affairs. Between 24 July 1987 and 24 March 1993 it was known as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Starting with the Keating Government, the Trade portfolio has been administered separately by the Minister for Trade.
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs, or any of its precedent titles:
Notes
1 Also served as Prime Minister for some or all of their term. 2 Barton was knighted in 1902, while serving as Minister.List of ministers assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs or any of its precedent titles:
List of Ministers for International Development and the Pacific
The Minister for International Development was responsible, in the Rudd Cabinet, for the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the international development and humanitarian aid policies of the Commonwealth of Australia, administered through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). AusAID was abolished by the incoming prime minister, Tony Abbott, in September 2013 and under the operations of the Abbott Cabinet its functions were absorbed into DFAT.
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for International Development and the Pacific, or any precedent title:
List of ministers for tourism
Since 1966, Australia had ministers responsible for tourism under various titles. The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Tourism, or any of its precedent titles: