Minister for Immigration and Multicultural 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.

Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
Incumbent Tony Burke since 29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)
Department of Home Affairs
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holder	Arthur Calwell (as Minister for Immigration)
Formation	19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)
Website	minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/ministers-for-home-affairs/the-hon-tony-burke-mp

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 MP 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]

Order	Minister	Party		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Arthur Calwell		Labor	Chifley	Minister for Immigration	13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)	19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)	4 years, 159 days
2	Harold Holt		Liberal	Menzies		19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)	24 October 1956 (1956-10-24)	6 years, 310 days
3	Athol Townley					24 October 1956 (1956-10-24)	19 March 1958 (1958-03-19)	1 year, 146 days
4	Alick Downer					19 March 1958 (1958-03-19)	18 December 1963 (1963-12-18)	5 years, 274 days
5	Hubert Opperman					18 December 1963 (1963-12-18)	26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)	2 years, 361 days
				Holt		26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)	14 December 1966 (1966-12-14)
6	Billy Snedden					14 December 1966 (1966-12-14)	19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)	2 years, 333 days
				McEwen		19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)	10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)
				Gorton		10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)	12 November 1969 (1969-11-12)
7	Phillip Lynch			McMahon		12 November 1969 (1969-11-12)	22 March 1971 (1971-03-22)	1 year, 130 days
8	Jim Forbes					22 March 1971 (1971-03-22)	5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)	1 year, 258 days
9	Lance Barnard1		Labor	Whitlam		5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)	19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)	14 days
10	Al Grassby					19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)	12 June 1974 (1974-06-12)	1 year, 175 days
11	Clyde Cameron				Minister for Labour and Immigration	12 June 1974 (1974-06-12)	6 June 1975 (1975-06-06)	359 days
12	Jim McClelland					6 June 1975 (1975-06-06)	11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)	158 days
13	Tony Street		Liberal	Fraser		12 November 1975 (1975-11-12)	22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)	40 days
14	Michael MacKellar				Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs	22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)	8 December 1979 (1979-12-08)	3 years, 351 days
15	Ian Macphee					8 December 1979 (1979-12-08)	7 May 1982 (1982-05-07)	2 years, 150 days
16	John Hodges					7 May 1982 (1982-05-07)	11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)	308 days
17	Stewart West		Labor	Hawke		11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)	13 December 1984 (1984-12-13)	1 year, 277 days
18	Chris Hurford					13 December 1984 (1984-12-13)	16 February 1987 (1987-02-16)	2 years, 65 days
19	Mick Young				Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs	16 February 1987 (1987-02-16)	12 February 1988 (1988-02-12)	361 days
20	Clyde Holding					12 February 1988 (1988-02-12)	2 September 1988 (1988-09-02)	203 days
21	Robert Ray					2 September 1988 (1988-09-02)	4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)	1 year, 214 days
22	Gerry Hand					4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)	20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)	2 years, 354 days
				Keating		20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)	24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)
23	Nick Bolkus				Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs	24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)	11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	2 years, 353 days
24	Philip Ruddock		Liberal	Howard	Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs	11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	7 years, 210 days
					Minister for Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs	26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	7 October 2003 (2003-10-07)
25	Amanda Vanstone					7 October 2003 (2003-10-07)	27 January 2006 (2006-01-27)	3 years, 115 days
					Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs	27 January 2006 (2006-01-27)	30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)
26	Kevin Andrews				Minister for Immigration and Citizenship	30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	307 days
27	Chris Evans		Labor	Rudd		3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	24 June 2010 (2010-06-24)	2 years, 285 days
				Gillard		24 June 2010 (2010-06-24)	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)
28	Chris Bowen					14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	4 February 2013 (2013-02-04)	2 years, 143 days
29	Brendan O'Connor					4 February 2013 (2013-02-04)	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	147 days
30	Tony Burke			Rudd	Minister for Immigration, Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)	79 days
31	Scott Morrison		Liberal	Abbott	Minister for Immigration and Border Protection	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)	23 December 2014 (2014-12-23)	1 year, 96 days
32	Peter Dutton					23 December 2014 (2014-12-23)	15 September 2015 (2015-09-15)	3 years, 241 days
				Turnbull		15 September 2015 (2015-09-15)	21 August 2018 (2018-08-21)
33	David Coleman			Morrison	Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs	28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)	29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)	1 year, 107 days
					Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs	29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)	13 December 2019 (2019-12-13)
(acting)	Alan Tudge					13 December 2019 (2019-12-13)	22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)	1 year, 9 days
34	Alex Hawke					22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)	23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)	1 year, 152 days
35	Andrew Giles		Labor	Albanese	Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs	1 June 2022 (2022-06-01)	29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)	2 years, 58 days
(30)	Tony Burke				Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs	29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)	incumbent	106 days

Notes

¹ 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 24 July 1987 (1987-07-24) 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]

Order	Minister	Party affiliation		Prime Minister	Ministerial title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Clyde Holding		Labor	Hawke	Minister Assisting the Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs	2 September 1988 (1988-09-02)	4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)	1 year, 214 days
2	Gary Hardgrave		Liberal	Howard	Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs	26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	26 October 2004 (2004-10-26)	2 years, 335 days
3	Peter McGauran		National			26 October 2004 (2004-10-26)	6 July 2005 (2005-07-06)	253 days
4	John Cobb					6 July 2005 (2005-07-06)	27 January 2006 (2006-01-27)	205 days
5	Kate Lundy		Labor	Gillard	Minister for Multicultural Affairs	5 March 2012 (2012-03-05)	27 June 2013 (2013-06-27)	1 year, 197 days
				Rudd		27 June 2013 (2013-06-27)	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
6	Alan Tudge		Liberal	Turnbull	Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs	20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)	23 August 2018 (2018-08-23)	246 days
7	David Coleman			Morrison	Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs	28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)	29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)	1 year, 107 days
					Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs	29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)	13 December 2019 (2019-12-13)
(acting)	Alan Tudge					13 December 2019 (2019-12-13)	22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)	1 year, 9 days
8	Alex Hawke					22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)	23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)	1 year, 152 days
9	Andrew Giles		Labor	Albanese	Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs	1 June 2022 (2022-06-01)	29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)	2 years, 58 days
10	Tony Burke				Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs	29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)	incumbent	106 days

Assistant ministers

Assistant ministers for immigration

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

Order	Minister	Party affiliation		Prime Minister	Ministerial title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Teresa Gambaro		Liberal	Howard	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship	30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)	21 March 2007 (2007-03-21)	307 days
					Assistant Minister for Immigration and Citizenship	21 March 2007 (2007-03-21)	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)
2	Laurie Ferguson		Labor	Rudd	Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	2 years, 285 days
				Gillard
3	Kate Lundy				Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Citizenship	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	16 February 2011 (2011-02-16)	1 year, 173 days
					Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs	16 February 2011 (2011-02-16)	5 March 2012 (2012-03-05)
4	Michaelia Cash		Liberal	Abbott	Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)	15 September 2015 (2015-09-15)	2 years, 3 days
				Turnbull		15 September 2015 (2015-09-15)	21 September 2015
5	James McGrath		Liberal	Turnbull	Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection	18 February 2016 (2016-02-18)	18 July 2016 (2016-07-18)	151 days
6	Alex Hawke					19 July 2016 (2016-07-19)	20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)	1 year, 154 days
7	Matt Thistlethwaite		Labor	Albanese	Assistant Minister for Immigration	29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)	incumbent	106 days

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]

Order	Minister	Party affiliation		Prime Minister	Ministerial title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Teresa Gambaro		Liberal	Howard	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship	30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)	21 March 2007 (2007-03-21)	307 days
					Assistant Minister for Immigration and Citizenship	21 March 2007 (2007-03-21)	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)
2	Laurie Ferguson		Labor	Rudd	Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	2 years, 285 days
				Gillard
3	Kate Lundy				Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Citizenship	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	16 February 2011 (2011-02-16)	1 year, 173 days
					Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs	16 February 2011 (2011-02-16)	5 March 2012 (2012-03-05)
4	Matt Thistlethwaite		Labor	Gillard	Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs	25 March 2013 (2013-03-25)	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)	177 days
				Rudd
5	Concetta Fierravanti-Wells		Liberal	Turnbull	Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs	21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)	18 February 2016 (2016-02-18)	150 days
6	Craig Laundy					18 February 2016 (2016-02-18)	18 July 2016 (2016-07-18)	151 days
7	Zed Seselja				Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs	18 July 2016 (2016-07-18)	20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)	1 year, 155 days
8	Jason Wood		Liberal	Morrison	Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs	29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)	22 May 2022 (2022-05-22)	2 years, 358 days
9	Julian Hill		Labor	Albanese	Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs	29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)	incumbent	106 days

References

1. Turnbull, Malcolm (20 December 2017). "Ministerial Arrangements" (Press release). Government of Australia. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018. 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.
2. "Australian Government Ministry List as at 20 December 2017" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia. 20 December 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
3. "From Calwell Onward: Immigration Ministers in the Library's Oral History Collection". National Library of Australia. June 2005.
4. "Immigration Ministers in Manuscripts". National Library of Australia. August 2005.
5. "Ministries and Cabinets". 43rd Parliamentary Handbook: Historical information on the Australian Parliament. Parliament of Australia. 2010. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2013.

External links

• Official website