Style The Honourable Formation 13 November 1908 | Inaugural holder Frank Tudor | |
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Appointer Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia | ||
The Australian Minister for Health is the Hon. Greg Hunt MP, since 24 January 2017.
Contents
- History
- List of health ministers
- List of ministers for indigenous health
- List of ministers for aged care
- List of assistant health ministers
- References
The Australian Minister for Indigenous Health and Minister for Aged Care is the Hon. Ken Wyatt AM, MP, since 24 January 2017, having previously served as the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care since September 2015.
The Australian Assistant Minister for Health is the Hon. David Gillespie MP, since 24 January 2017, having previously served as the Assistant Minister for Rural Health between July 2016 and January 2017.
In the Government of Australia, the ministers are responsible for national health and medical research policy. The minister provides direction and oversight of the Department of Health.
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, 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. 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.
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 Ministry was named the "Ministry of Helth [sic]" in some informal contexts due to Everingham's support of Spelling Reform.
List of health ministers
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Health, or any of its precedent titles:
Notes
1 Barnard was part of a two-man ministry that comprised just Gough Whitlam and Barnard for fourteen days until the full ministry was announced. 2 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).List of ministers for indigenous health
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Indigenous Health, or any of its precedent titles:
List of ministers for aged care
The following individuals have been appointed as the Minister for Aged Care, or any of its precedent titles:
List of assistant health ministers
The following individuals have been appointed as the Assistant Health Minister, or any of its precedent titles: