Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, also known as the Foreign Minister, is the minister of state of the Commonwealth of Australia charged with overseeing the creation and implementation of international diplomacy, relations and foreign affairs policy, as the head of the foreign affairs section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The current Foreign Minister is Senator Penny Wong, who was appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in May 2022 following the 2022 federal election.

Wong is the first female Foreign Minister from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the third female foreign minister in a row, following Julie Bishop and Marise Payne. The position is one of two cabinet-level portfolio ministers under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the other being the Minister for Trade and Tourism. The Foreign Minister is vested with several subordinate positions, including the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, currently held by Pat Conroy, and the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, currently held by Tim Watts.

Scope

The minister is usually one of the most senior members of Cabinet – the position is equivalent to that of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in Britain or Secretary of State in the United States – as shown by the fact that eleven Prime Ministers of Australia have also worked as the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The minister is seen as one of the people most responsible for formulating Australia's foreign policy, as they along with other relevant ministers advise the Prime Minister in developing and implementing foreign policy, and also acts as the government's main spokesperson on international affairs issues. In recent times, the minister also undertakes numerous international trips to meet with foreign representatives and Heads of State or Government.

List of ministers for foreign affairs

The portfolio has existed continuously since 1901, except for the period 14 November 1916 to 21 December 1921. Prior to 6 November 1970, the office was known as the Minister for External Affairs. Between 24 July 1987 and 24 March 1993 it was known as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Starting with the Keating government, the Trade portfolio has been administered separately by the Minister for Trade.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs, or any of its precedent titles:

Notes

¹ Also served as Prime Minister for some or all of their term.

² Barton was knighted in 1902, while serving as Minister.

List of ministers for international development and the Pacific

The Minister for International Development was responsible, in the Rudd Cabinet, for the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the international development and humanitarian aid policies of the Commonwealth of Australia, administered through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). AusAID was abolished by the incoming prime minister, Tony Abbott, in September 2013 and under the operations of the Abbott Cabinet its functions were absorbed into DFAT.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for International Development and the Pacific, or any precedent title:

List of ministers assisting the minister for foreign affairs

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs or any of its precedent titles:

List of parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for foreign affairs

The following individuals have been appointed as parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for Foreign Affairs or any of its precedent titles:

List of parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for international development and the pacific

The following individuals have been appointed as parliamentary secretaries and assistant ministers for Foreign Affairs or any of its precedent titles:

See also

• List of ambassadors and high commissioners of Australia

References

External links

• Official website

1. Ministry of foreign affairs
2. Minister of External Affairs (India)
3. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
4. Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (France)
5. Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand)
6. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Indonesia)
7. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Israel)
8. List of ministers of foreign affairs of Turkey
9. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iran)
10. Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Iceland)
11. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Soviet Union)
12. Foreign Secretary
13. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Poland)
14. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Saudi Arabia)
15. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)
16. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Romania)
17. Minister for Veterans' Affairs
18. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Luxembourg)
19. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ukraine)
20. Minister of Foreign Affairs (Republic of China)