Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development (Australia)

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Incumbent Darren Chester since 18 February 2016 (2016-02-18)
Department of Infrastructure and Transport
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holder	Thomas Paterson
Formation	1928

The Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport is The Honourable Darren Chester MP, since 18 February 2016.^[1]

The Minister for Regional Development and the Minister for Local Government and Territories is Senator the Honourable Fiona Nash, since 18 February 2016 and 9 July 2016 respectively.

The ministers are supported by the Minister for Urban Infrastructure, the Hon. Paul Fletcher MP, since 9 July 2016.

Scope

In the Government of Australia, the minister has overall responsibility for all of the matters falling within the Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government portfolio, including regulation, safety and funding in relation to aviation, shipping, roads and railways and policy on regional development, local government and the territories, including the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. His ministerial responsibility includes the following agencies.

• Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, including:
  • Office of Transport Security; and
  • Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics (BTRE)
• Australian Transport Safety Bureau

History

Under the Constitution of Australia the federal government was not given any specific responsibilities for transport, except for "railway construction and extension in any State with the consent of that State" (section 51(xxxiv)). In 1916, Billy Hughes appointed Patrick Lynch as Minister for Works and Railways to administer Commonwealth Railways and the construction of the Trans-Australian Railway. In December 1928, Stanley Bruce appointed Thomas Paterson as Minister for Markets and Transport, which included responsibility for funding road construction via grants to the states. In January 1932, this portfolio was renamed Minister for Transport, but in April 1932 it was absorbed into the new portfolio of Minister for the Interior along with the position of Minister for Works and Railways.

In December 1938, with the growth of significance of civil aviation and the commonwealth's assumption of responsibility for regulating it under international treaties, Joseph Lyons appointed Harold Thorby as the first Minister for Civil Aviation. In 1941 Robert Menzies re-established the transport portfolio with the appointment of Hubert Lawrence Anthony. The Curtin government was determined to establish a government shipping company, ultimately the Australian National Lines, and John Curtin appointed Jack Beasley as Minister for Supply and Development in 1941. This position was renamed Minister for Shipping, Fuel and Transport in 1950 under the Menzies government and Minister for Shipping and Transport in 1951. Gough Whitlam combined the transport and civil aviation porfolios in 1973, but it was re-divided with Malcolm Fraser's appointment of Wal Fife as Minister for Aviation in 1982. Bob Hawke abolished the aviation portfolio in 1987 with the creation of the "super" departments. Since 1987, there has been a single senior transport minister in Cabinet.

Agency and bodies

Other agencies and bodies the portfolio include:

• Australian Transport Safety Bureau
• Airservices Australia
• Australian Bicycle Council
• Australian Global Navigation Satellite System Coordination Committee (AGCC)
• Australian Local Government and Planning Ministers' Council
• Australian Maritime College
• Australian Maritime Safety Authority
• Australian Motor Vehicle Certification Board
• Australian Rail Operations Unit
• Australian Rail Track Corporation
• Australian Transport Advisory Council
• Christmas Island Administration
• Civil Aviation Safety Authority
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands Administration
• East Kimberley Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Indigenous Trial
• International Air Services Commission
• Jervis Bay Territory Administration
• Local Government and Planning Joint Committee
• National Capital Authority
• National Transport Commission
• Navigation Safety Advisory Committee
• Administrator of the Northern Territory
• Office of the Administrator Norfolk Island
• Regional Development Council
• Regional Women's Advisory Council
• Standing Committee on Regional Development Secretariat
• Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee
• Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme Review Authority

Transport

List of ministers for infrastructure and transport

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, or any precedent titles:^[2]

List of ministers for aviation

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Aviation, or any precedent titles:

List of ministers for shipping

The following individuals were appointed as Ministers for Shipping, or any precedent titles:

List of ministers for works and railways

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Works and Railways, or any precedent titles:

List of ministers supporting the transport minister

Since the creation of the enlarged portfolios in the third Hawke Ministry on 24 July 1987 there has usually been a minister outside cabinet supporting the Minister for Transport.

List of local government and territories ministers

The following individuals have been appointed Minister for Local Government and Territories, or any precedent titles:^[2]

List of regional development ministers

The following individuals have been appointed Minister for Regional Development, or any precedent titles:^[2]

References

External links

• Ministers website

Ministerial portfolios of the Commonwealth of Australia
Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Leader of the Government in the Senate Leader of the House Manager of Government Business in the Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Arts Attorney-General Communications Defence Defence Industry Defence Personnel Education and Training Employment Environment and Energy Finance Foreign Affairs Health and Aged Care Human Services Immigration and Border Protection Indigenous Affairs Industry, Innovation and Science Infrastructure and Regional Development Justice Manager of Government Business in the Senate Small Business Social Services Special Minister of State Sport Territories Trade, Tourism and Investment Treasurer Veterans' Affairs Vice-President of the Executive Council Women
Current Ministry