Parliament of Australia

The official website of the Parliament of Australia.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

The Hon Tony Burke MP

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has the dual roles of providing customer services to the agricultural, food, fisheries and forest industries, and addressing the challenges of natural resource management.

Attorney-General

The Hon Robert McClelland MP

Minister for Home Affairs

The Hon Bob Debus MP

Attorney-General's Department (AG's)

The Attorney-General's Department serves the people of Australia by providing essential expert support to the Government in the maintenance and improvement of Australia's system of law and justice.

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy

Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE)

The Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts changed its name to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy on 3 December, 2007. Responsibility for culture and the arts was transferred to the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and responsibility for sport transferred to the Department of Health and Ageing. The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy provides strategic advice to the government on the development of policies and programs for enhancing Australia's broadband and communications sectors and the digital economy, and ensures the efficient and effective implementation of programs.

Minister for Defence

The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP

Minister for Defence Science and Personnel

The Hon Warren Snowdon MP

Minister for Veterans' Affairs

The Hon Alan Griffin MP

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement

The Hon. Greg Combet MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence

The Hon. Dr Mike Kelly MP

Department of Defence

The Australian Government Department of Defence aims to promote the security of Australia, and to protect its people and its national interests.

Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)

The Veterans' Affairs portfolio is responsible for carrying out Government policy and implementing programs to fulfil Australia's obligations to war veterans and their dependants.

Minister for Education, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Minister for Social Inclusion

The Hon Julia Gillard MP

Minister for Employment Participation

The Hon Brendan O'Connor MP

Minister for Youth

The Hon Kate Ellis MP

Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care

The Hon Maxine McKew MP

Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector

Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) was created on 3 December 2007, bringing together elements of the former Departments of Education, Science and Training, Employment and Workplace Relations and the Youth and Early Childhood functions from the Department of Family, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Minister for Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP

Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

The Department of Environment and Water Resources changed its name to the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts on 3 December, 2007. Responsibility for culture and the arts was transferred from the former Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.

Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

The Hon Jenny Macklin MP

Minister for Housing, Minister for Status of Women

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP

Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services

The Hon Bill Shorten MP

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)

The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs responsibilities include developing and implementing income security policies and programs, services for people with disabilities and families with children, community support services, family relationship services and public housing. In January 2006 the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC) became part of the Portfolio.

Minister for Finance and Deregulation

The Hon Lindsay Tanner MP

Special Minister of State

Senator the Hon John Faulkner

Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation

The Hon Dr Craig Emerson MP

Department of Finance and Deregulation

The Department of Finance and Administration changed its name to the Department of Finance and Deregulation on 3 December, 2007. As a central agency of the Australian Government, the Department of Finance and Deregulation (Finance) plays an important role in assisting government across a wide range of policy areas to ensure its outcomes are met, particularly with regard to expenditure and financial management, deregulation reform and the operations of government.

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Hon Stephen Smith MP

Minister for Trade

The Hon Simon Crean MP

Parliamentary Secretary for Trade

The Hon John Murphy MP

Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs

The Hon Duncan Kerr SC MP

Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance

The Hon Bob McMullan MP

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for the Australian Government's international relations, trade and development assistance programs through its headquarters in Canberra and Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates throughout the world.

Minister for Health and Ageing

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP

Minister for Ageing

The Hon Justine Elliot MP

Minister for Sport

The Hon Kate Ellis MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing

Senator the Hon Jan McLucas

Department of Health and Ageing

The Department of Health and Ageing seeks to provide better health and healthier ageing for all Australians through a world-class health system.

Sport

Responsibility for sports transferred from the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts to the Department of Health and Ageing on 3 December, 2007. This site contains Information about sports programs prior to this date.

Minister for Human Services

Senator The Hon Joe Ludwig

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) was established to improve the development and delivery of Australian Government social and health related services to the Australian people. The Department works with the Human Services agencies to provide the best value for money in service delivery while emphasising continuous service improvement and a whole-of-government approach. The Portfolio comprises DHS which includes the Child Support Agency and CRS Australia and four Human Services agencies Centrelink, Medicare Australia, Australian Hearing and HSA Group.

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship

Senator the Hon Christopher Evans

Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services

The Hon Laurie Ferguson MP

Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC)

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship provides information and application forms for migration to Australia, and information about settling in Australia, Australian citizenship, and multicultural affairs.

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

The Hon Anthony Albanese MP

Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Northern Australia

The Hon Gary Gray AO MP

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government is responsible for infrastructure planning and coordination; transport safety, including investigations; land transport; civil aviation and airports; transport security; delivery of regional and rural specific services; maritime transport including shipping; regional development; matters relating to local government; and major projects facilitation.

Ministers for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

Senator the Hon Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research; The Hon Dr Craig Emerson MP, Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy

Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR)

A new Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR) was created on 3 December, 2007. Responsibility for industry from the former Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources was amalgamated with responsibility for science and research from the former Department of Education, Science and Training.

Prime Minister of Australia

The Hon Kevin Rudd MP

Cabinet Secretary

Senator the Hon John Faulkner

Minister for Climate Change and Water

Senator the Hon Penny Wong

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMC)

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is the primary source of advice on government and parliamentary policy matters covering such issues as Cabinet processes, accountability and the management of the public service.

Department of Climate Change

The Department of Climate Change delivers programmes under the Australian Government's climate change strategy. These programmes were formerly administered by the Australian Greenhouse Office.

Minister for Resources and Energy, Minister for Tourism

The Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP

Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET)

A new Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET) was created on 3 December, 2007. Responsibility for resources, energy and tourism from the former Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources were transferred to the new department.

Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia

The Hon Wayne Swan MP

Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs

The Hon Chris Bowen MP

Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law

Senator the Hon Nick Sherry

The Treasury

The Treasury Department aims to improve the wellbeing of the Australian people, by providing sound and timely advice to the Government based on thorough analysis of options, and by assisting the Treasury Ministers in the administration of their responsibilities and the implementation of Government decisions.