Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia

The Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia is an Australian Government Cabinet position held by The Honourable Keith Pitt MP since 6 February 2020. The Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced in May 2019 that the Agriculture and Water Resources portfolios would be separated in the Cabinet reshuffle. The Water Resources portfolio was added into the Resources and Northern Australia portfolio within the Outer Ministry.

Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia
Incumbent
Keith Pitt
since 6 February 2020 (2020-02-06)
Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerGovernor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holderKep Enderby
(as Minister for the Northern Territory)
Formation19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)

The minister was assisted by the Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator Richard Colbeck from August 2018 until 2019. Anne Ruston had previously served in the position from 21 September 2015 to 28 August 2018.

In the Government of Australia, the ministers administer this portfolio through the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources and Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, and its component bodies.

Mission and outcomes

Information about the department's functions and/or government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements, in the department's annual reports and on the department's website.

At its creation, the department was responsible for:[1]

  • Environment protection and conservation of biodiversity
  • Air Quality
  • National fuel quality standards
  • Land contamination
  • Meteorology
  • Administration of the Australian Antarctic Territory and the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  • Natural, built and movable cultural heritage
  • Greenhouse policy coordination
  • Environmental research
  • Water policy and resources

In the Howard Government, the portfolio of Water Resources was assigned to the Environment Department; this was an Australian Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull.[1] The secretary of the department was David Borthwick.[1]

List of ministers

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, or any of its precedent titles:[2]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Josh Frydenberg Liberal Turnbull Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia 21 September 2015 (2015-09-21) 18 February 2016 (2016-02-18) 150 days
2 Matt Canavan National Turnbull Minister for Resources and Northern Australia 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19) 25 July 2017 (2017-07-25) 1 year, 157 days
3 Barnaby Joyce 25 July 2017 (2017-07-25) 27 October 2017 (2017-10-27) 94 days
(2) Matt Canavan 27 October 2017 (2017-10-27) 24 August 2018 (2018-08-24) 3 years, 98 days
Morrison 24 August 2018 (2018-08-24) 5 February 2020 (2020-02-05)
4 Keith Pitt Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia 6 February 2020 (2020-02-06) Incumbent 362 days

Former ministerial titles and portfolios

List of Ministers for Northern Australia

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Northern Australia, or any of its precedent titles:[2]

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Kep Enderby   Labor Whitlam Minister for the Northern Territory1 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) 19 October 1973 (1973-10-19) 304 days
2 Rex Patterson1 19 October 1973 (1973-10-19) 6 June 1975 (1975-06-06) 2 years, 2 days
Minister for Northern Australia 6 June 1975 (1975-06-06) 21 October 1975 (1975-10-21)
3 Paul Keating 21 October 1975 (1975-10-21) 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) 21 days
4 Ian Sinclair   National Country Fraser 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) 41 days
5 Evan Adermann Minister for the Northern Territory 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) 28 September 1978 (1978-09-28) 2 years, 280 days
6 Bob Collins   Labor Hawke Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Northern Australia 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) 2 years, 53 days
Keating 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) 27 May 1992 (1992-05-27)
7 Ben Humphreys 27 May 1992 (1992-05-27) 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24) 301 days
8 Matt Canavan National Turnbull Minister for Northern Australia 18 February 2016 (2016-02-18) 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19) 152 days
For subsequent appointments, see the refer to the above ministerial titles and portfolios

Notes

1 In 1972, Whitlam appointed both a Minister for the Northern Territory, Kep Enderby, and a Minister for Northern Development, Rex Patterson. From October 1973, Patterson held both titles, with the former title changing to Minister for Northern Australia. In October 1975, Patterson stood aside as Minister for Northern Australia, but remained as Minister for Northern Development until November 1975.[2]

List of Ministers for Resources

Australia has had ministers who had specific responsibility for matters relating to the development of minerals resources since December 1972, although earlier there were ministers for national development, who had some responsibilities in this area as well.

Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office
1 Rex Connor Labor Whitlam Minister for Minerals and Energy 19 December 1972 14 October 1975 2 years, 299 days
2 Ken Wriedt 14 October 1975 11 November 1975 28 days
3 Doug Anthony National Country Fraser Minister for National Resources 11 November 1975 20 December 1977 7 years, 120 days
Minister for Trade and Resources 20 December 1977 16 October 1982
National 16 October 1982 11 March 1983
4 Peter Walsh Labor Hawke Minister for Resources and Energy 11 March 1983 13 December 1984 1 year, 277 days
5 Gareth Evans 13 December 1984 24 July 1987 2 years, 223 days
6 Peter Morris Minister for Resources 24 July 1987 19 January 1988 179 days
7 Peter Cook 19 January 1988 4 April 1990 2 years, 75 days
8 Alan Griffiths 4 April 1990 20 December 1991 2 years, 354 days
Keating 20 December 1991 24 March 1993
9 Michael Lee 24 March 1993 24 December 1993 275 days
10 David Beddall 24 December 1993 11 March 1996 2 years, 78 days
11 Warwick Parer   Liberal Howard Minister for Resources and Energy 11 March 1996 21 October 1998 2 years, 224 days
12 Nick Minchin   Minister for Industry, Science and Resources 21 October 1998 26 November 2001 3 years, 36 days
13 Ian Macfarlane   Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources 26 November 2001 3 December 2007 6 years, 7 days
14 Martin Ferguson Labor Rudd Minister for Resources and Energy 3 December 2007 24 June 2010 5 years, 89 days
Gillard 24 June 2010 22 March 2013
15 Gary Gray 22 March 2013 27 June 2013 180 days
Rudd 27 June 2013 18 September 2013
16 Josh Frydenberg Liberal Turnbull Minister for Resources and Energy 18 February 2016 (2016-02-18) 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19) 152 days
For subsequent appointments, see the refer to the above ministerial titles and portfolios

References
  1. CA 9160: Department of the Environment and Water Resources, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 19 December 2013
  2. "The 45th Parliament: Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia 2017". Parliament of Australia. 2017. Archived from the original on 11 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
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