Minister for Heritage (New South Wales)

The New South Wales Minister for Heritage is currently The Hon. Penny Sharpe MLC since March 2023. The actual title of Minister for Heritage was revived in 2021 having previously only been used for two separate periods, 1986-1988 and 2011-2019.

Minister for Heritage
Incumbent Penny Sharpe since 28 March 2023 (2023-03-28)
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	Governor of New South Wales

The NSW Heritage Act was introduced in 1977, along with the creation of the Heritage Council which informs its administration. The purpose of the act is to encourage the conservation of the State’s heritage, identify and protect items of significance, and to assist owners with the conservation of items of significance.^[1] The act is currently up for review, as it seen by the current administration as burdened by "costly regulatory obstacles".^[2]

Minister for Heritage

The following individuals have been appointed Minister responsible for administering the NSW Heritage Act 1977, including ministers whose title does not have the word "heritage".^[3]

Minister	Party affiliation	Ministerial title	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
Paul Landa	Labor	Minister for Planning and Environment	21 December 1977	29 February 1980	2 years, 70 days
Eric Bedford			29 February 1980	10 February 1984	3 years, 347 days
Terry Sheahan			10 February 1984	12 December 1984	306 days
Bob Carr			12 December 1984	4 July 1986	3 years, 100 days
		Minister for Heritage	4 July 1986	21 March 1988
David Hay	Liberal	Minister for Planning	21 March 1988	3 May 1991	3 years, 43 days
Robert Webster	National		6 June 1991	4 April 1995	3 years, 336 days
Craig Knowles	Labor	Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning	4 April 1995	8 April 1999	4 years, 4 days
Andrew Refshauge			8 April 1999	2 April 2003	3 years, 359 days
Diane Beamer		Minister Assisting the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning (Planning Administration)	2 April 2003	3 August 2005	2 years, 123 days
Frank Sartor		Minister for Planning	3 August 2005	5 September 2008	3 years, 33 days
Kristina Keneally			8 September 2008	4 December 2009	1 year, 90 days
Tony Kelly			8 December 2009	28 March 2011	1 year, 114 days
Robyn Parker	Liberal	Minister for Heritage	3 April 2011	23 April 2014	3 years, 20 days
Rob Stokes			23 April 2014	2 April 2015	344 days
Mark Speakman			2 April 2015	30 January 2017	1 year, 303 days
Gabrielle Upton			30 January 2017	23 March 2019	2 years, 52 days
Don Harwin		Special Minister of State	23 March 2019	21 December 2021	2 years, 273 days
James Griffin		Minister for Environment and Heritage	21 December 2021	28 March 2023	1 year, 97 days
Penny Sharpe	Labor	Minister for Heritage	28 March 2023	incumbent	2 years, 40 days	[4]