Australia reorganises departments to reflect new government’s priorities
The Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has announced the creation of a new environment ‘super ministry’ as part of a raft of changes aimed at restructuring government to reflect its new priorities.
In an announcement of new ministers last week following Labour’s election victory, Albanese said a Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water would be created by merging two existing departments – the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, and the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
Once the changes come into effect on 1 June, this new ‘super-ministry’ is expected to have two separate ministers for these posts, with Chris Bowen working as minister for climate change and energy, and Tanya Plibersek as minister for the environment and water.
The prime minister said that these changes would help “deliver the government’s job-creating climate change and energy agenda and give Australia’s environment the protection it deserves”.
Other changes announced by Albanese as he named the line up of ministers for this first government included the creation of a Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. The new department will spin off responsibilities currently held by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment to better implement the government’s workplace relations, jobs, skills and training agenda.
The Department of Health will be renamed the Department of Health and Aged Care to better reflect the policy priority around care for older people, while the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications will be given responsibility for the arts.
Read more: New Australian Public Service head appointed
In other changes to areas of policy responsibility, the Department of Finance will take responsibility for data policy and the government’s Digital Transformation Agency, while the Department of Home Affairs will take responsibility for natural disaster response and mitigation, including the National Recovery and Resilience Agency.
However, the home department will lose responsibility for criminal law enforcement and policy, including the Australian Federal Police, which is to be transferred to the office of the attorney general.
The changes come after Albanese named the new head of the Australian Public Service, professor Glyn Davis. Davis started work as the head the public service today.
The full list of ministers announced by Albanese are:
| The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP | Prime Minister |
| The Hon. Richard Marles MP | Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Defence |
| Senator the Hon. Penny Wong | Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| The Hon. Dr Jim Chalmers MP | Treasurer |
| Senator the Hon. Katy Gallagher | Minister for Finance Minister for the Public Service Minister for Women |
| Senator the Hon. Don Farrell | Minister for Trade and Tourism Special Minister of State |
| The Hon. Tony Burke MP | Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Minister for the Arts |
| The Hon. Mark Butler MP | Minister for Health and Aged Care |
| The Hon. Chris Bowen MP | Minister for Climate Change and Energy |
| The Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP | Minister for the Environment and Water |
| The Hon. Catherine King MP | Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government |
| The Hon. Linda Burney MP | Minister for Indigenous Australians |
| The Hon. Amanda Rishworth MP | Minister for Social Services |
| The Hon. Bill Shorten MP | Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Minister for Government Services |
| The Hon. Mark Dreyfus QC MP | Attorney-General Cabinet Secretary |
| The Hon. Brendan O’Connor MP | Minister for Skills and Training |
| The Hon. Jason Clare MP | Minister for Education |
| The Hon. Julie Collins MP | Minister for Housing Minister for Homelessness Minister for Small Business |
| Michelle Rowland MP | Minister for Communications |
| Madeleine King MP | Minister for Resources Minister for Northern Australia |
| Senator Murray Watt | Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister for Emergency Management |
| Ed Husic MP | Minister for Industry and Science |
| Clare O’Neil MP | Minister for Home Affairs Minister for Cyber Security |
Outer Ministry
| Matt Keogh MP | Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Minister for Defence Personnel |
| Pat Conroy MP | Minister for Defence Industry Minister for International Development and the Pacific |
| Stephen Jones MP | Assistant Treasurer Minister for Financial Services |
| Andrew Giles MP | Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs |
| Anne Aly MP | Minister for Early Childhood Education Minister for Youth |
| Anika Wells MP | Minister for Aged Care Minister for Sport |
| Kristy McBain MP | Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories |
Assistant Ministers
| The Hon. Justine Elliot MP | Assistant Minister for Social Services Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence |
| The Hon. Matt Thistlethwaite MP | Assistant Minister for Defence Assistant Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Assistant Minister for the Republic |
| The Hon. Dr Andrew Leigh MP | Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury |
| Patrick Gorman MP | Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister |
| Senator Jenny McAllister | Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy |
| Senator Carol Brown | Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport |
| Ged Kearney MP | Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care |
| Emma McBride MP | Assistant Minister for Mental Health Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health |
| Senator Malarndirri McCarthy | Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health |
| Senator Tim Ayres | Assistant Minister for Trade Assistant Minister for Manufacturing |
| Senator Anthony Chisholm | Assistant Minister for Education Assistant Minister for Regional Development |
| Tim Watts MP | Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs |
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About Richard Johnstone
Richard Johnstone is the executive editor of Global Government Forum, where he helps to produce editorial analysis and insight for the title’s audience of public servants around the world. Before joining GGF, he spent nearly five years at UK-based title Civil Service World, latterly as acting editor, and has worked in public policy journalism throughout his career.
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