Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations is a position currently held by Murray Watt in the Albanese ministry since July 2024.

Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Flag of Australia
Incumbent Murray Watt since 29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holder	Harold Holt (as Minister for Labour and National Service)
Formation	28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)
Website	ministers.dewr.gov.au/senator-hon-murray-watt

In the Government of Australia, the minister administers this portfolio through the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

Portfolio scope

Other bodies in these portfolios include,:^[1]

• Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency
• Australian Building and Construction Commission (abolished in 2023)
• Comcare
• Fair Work Commission
• Fair Work Ombudsman
• Registered Organisations Commission
• Safe Work Australia
• Workplace Gender Equality Agency

List of ministers for employment

The following individuals have been appointed as the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, or any of its precedent titles:^[2]

Order	Minister	Party		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Harold Holt		United Australia	Menzies	Minister for Labour and National Service	28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)	29 August 1941 (1941-08-29)	344 days
				Fadden		29 August 1941 (1941-08-29)	7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)
2	Eddie Ward		Labor	Curtin		7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)	21 September 1943 (1943-09-21)	1 year, 349 days
3	Jack Holloway					21 September 1943 (1943-09-21)	6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)	6 years, 89 days
				Forde		6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)	13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)
				Chifley		13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)	19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)
(1)	Harold Holt		Liberal	Menzies		19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)	10 December 1958 (1958-12-10)	8 years, 356 days
4	William McMahon					10 December 1958 (1958-12-10)	26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)	7 years, 47 days
5	Les Bury			Holt		26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)	19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)	3 years, 290 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)
6	Billy Snedden					12 November 1969 (1969-11-12)	10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)	1 year, 130 days
				McMahon		10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)	22 March 1971 (1971-03-22)
7	Phillip Lynch					22 March 1971 (1971-03-22)	5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)	1 year, 258 days
8	Lance Barnard1		Labor	Whitlam		5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)	19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)	14 days
9	Clyde Cameron				Minister for Labour	19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)	12 June 1974 (1974-06-12)	2 years, 169 days
					Minister for Labour and Immigration	12 June 1974 (1974-06-12)	6 June 1975 (1975-06-06)
10	Jim McClelland					6 June 1975 (1975-06-06)	11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)	158 days
11	Tony Street		Liberal	Fraser		11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)	22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)	3 years, 24 days
					Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations	22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)	5 December 1978 (1978-12-05)
12	Ian Viner				Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs	5 December 1978 (1978-12-05)	6 April 1981 (1981-04-06)	2 years, 122 days
13	Neil Brown					6 April 1981 (1981-04-06)	7 May 1982 (1982-05-07)	1 year, 31 days
14	Ian Macphee				Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations	7 May 1982 (1982-05-07)	11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)	308 days
15	Ralph Willis		Labor	Hawke		11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)	24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)	4 years, 135 days
16	John Dawkins				Minister for Employment, Education and Training	24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)	20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)	4 years, 156 days
				Keating		20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)	27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)
17	Kim Beazley					27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)	23 December 1993 (1993-12-23)	1 year, 361 days
18	Simon Crean					23 December 1993 (1993-12-23)	11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	2 years, 79 days
19	Amanda Vanstone		Liberal	Howard	Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs	11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	9 October 1997 (1997-10-09)	1 year, 212 days
20	David Kemp					9 October 1997 (1997-10-09)	21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)	1 year, 12 days
21	Peter Reith				Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business	21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)	30 January 2001 (2001-01-30)	2 years, 101 days
22	Tony Abbott					30 January 2001 (2001-01-30)	26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	2 years, 250 days
					Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations	26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	7 October 2003 (2003-10-07)
23	Kevin Andrews					7 October 2003 (2003-10-07)	30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)	3 years, 115 days
24	Joe Hockey					30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	307 days
25	Julia Gillard		Labor	Rudd		3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	24 June 2010	2 years, 207 days
				Gillard		24 June 2010	28 June 2010
(18)	Simon Crean					28 June 2010 (2010-06-28)	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	78 days
26	Chris Evans				Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations[3]	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)	1 year, 91 days
27	Bill Shorten				Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations	14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	1 year, 199 days
28	Brendan O'Connor			Rudd	Minister for Employment Minister for Skills and Training	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)	79 days
29	Eric Abetz		Liberal	Abbott	Minister for Employment	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 (2015-09-21)
30	Michaelia Cash					21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)	20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)	2 years, 341 days
					Minister for Jobs and Innovation	20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)	28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)
31	Kelly O'Dwyer			Morrison	Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations	28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)	11 April 2019 (2019-04-11)	226 days
(30)	Michaelia Cash				Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business	29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)	30 March 2021 (2021-03-30)	1 year, 305 days
32	Stuart Robert				Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business	30 March 2021 (2021-03-30)	23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)	1 year, 54 days
33	Richard Marles		Labor	Albanese	Minister for Employment	23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)	1 June 2022 (2022-06-01)	9 days
34	Tony Burke				Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations	1 June 2022 (2022-06-01)	29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)	2 years, 58 days
35	Murray Watt					29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)	Incumbent	287 days

Notes

¹ Barnard was part of a two-man ministry that comprised Barnard and Gough Whitlam for fourteen days until the full ministry was commissioned.

² Despite the First Rudd ministry ending on 24 June 2010, Gillard was Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations for four days in her first ministry, between 24 June and 28 June 2010, when the revised ministry was commissioned.

List of ministers for Workplace Relations

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Workplace Relations, or any of its subsequent titles:^[2]

Order	Minister	Party		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Tony Street		Liberal	Fraser	Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations	22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)	5 December 1978 (1978-12-05)	4 years, 358 days
					Minister for Industrial Relations	5 December 1978 (1978-12-05)	3 November 1980 (1980-11-03)
2	Andrew Peacock					3 November 1980 (1980-11-03)	16 April 1981 (1981-04-16)	164 days
3	Ian Viner					16 April 1981 (1981-04-16)	7 May 1982 (1982-05-07)	1 year, 21 days
4	Ian Macphee				Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations	7 May 1982 (1982-05-07)	11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)	308 days
5	Ralph Willis		Labor	Hawke		11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)	24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)	5 years, 175 days
					Minister for Industrial Relations	24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)	2 September 1988 (1988-09-02)
6	Peter Morris					2 September 1988 (1988-09-02)	4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)	1 year, 214 days
7	Peter Cook					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)
8	Laurie Brereton					24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)	11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	2 years, 353 days
9	Peter Reith		Liberal	Howard		11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	18 July 1997 (1997-07-18)	5 years, 211 days
					Minister for Workplace Relations and Small Business	18 July 1997 (1997-07-18)	21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)
					Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business	21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)	30 January 2001 (2001-01-30)	2 years, 101 days
10	Tony Abbott					30 January 2001 (2001-01-30)	26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	2 years, 250 days
					Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations	26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	7 October 2003 (2003-10-07)
11	Kevin Andrews					7 October 2003 (2003-10-07)	30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)	3 years, 115 days
12	Joe Hockey					30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	307 days
13	Julia Gillard		Labor	Rudd		3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	24 June 2010	2 years, 207 days
				Gillard		24 June 2010	28 June 2010
14	Simon Crean					28 June 2010 (2010-06-28)	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	78 days
15	Chris Evans				Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)	1 year, 91 days
16	Bill Shorten				Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations	14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	1 year, 278 days
				Rudd	Minister for Workplace Relations	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
17	Kelly O'Dwyer		Liberal	Morrison	Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations	28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)	11 April 2019 (2019-04-11)	226 days
18	Christian Porter				Minister for Industrial Relations	29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)	30 March 2021 (2021-03-30)	1 year, 305 days
19	Michaelia Cash					30 March 2021 (2021-03-30)	23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)	1 year, 54 days
20	Tony Burke		Labor	Albanese	Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations	1 June 2022 (2022-06-01)	29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)	2 years, 58 days
21	Murray Watt					29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)	Incumbent	287 days

Former ministerial titles

List of ministers for employment participation

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Employment Participation, or any of its precedent titles:^[2]

Order	Minister	Party		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Clyde Holding		Labor	Hawke	Minister for Employment Services and Youth Affairs	24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)	19 January 1988 (1988-01-19)	179 days
2	Peter Duncan				Minister for Employment and Education Services	19 January 1988 (1988-01-19)	4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)	2 years, 75 days
3	Peter Baldwin					4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)	7 May 1990 (1990-05-07)	2 years, 354 days
				Keating	Minister for Higher Education and Employment Services	7 May 1990 (1990-05-07)	20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)
						20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)	24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)
4	Tony Abbott		Liberal	Howard	Minister for Employment Services	21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)	30 January 2001 (2001-01-30)	2 years, 101 days
5	Mal Brough					14 February 2001 (2001-02-14)	18 July 2004 (2004-07-18)	3 years, 155 days
6	Fran Bailey					18 July 2004 (2004-07-18)	26 October 2004 (2004-10-26)	100 days
7	Peter Dutton				Minister for Workforce Participation	26 October 2004 (2004-10-26)	27 January 2006 (2006-01-27)	1 year, 93 days
8	Sharman Stone					27 January 2006 (2006-01-27)	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	1 year, 310 days
9	Brendan O'Connor		Labor	Rudd	Minister for Employment Participation	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	9 June 2009 (2009-06-09)	1 year, 188 days
10	Mark Arbib					9 June 2009 (2009-06-09)	28 June 2010 (2010-06-28)	1 year, 97 days
				Gillard		28 June 2010 (2010-06-28)	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)
11	Kate Ellis				Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)	3 years, 4 days
					Minister for Employment Participation	14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)
				Rudd		1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
12	Luke Hartsuyker		Nationals	Abbott	Assistant Minister for Employment	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 (2015-09-21)

List of assistant ministers

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Science, Jobs and Innovation, or any of its precedent titles:^[2]

Order	Minister	Party		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Zed Seselja		Liberal	Turnbull	Assistant Minister for Science, Jobs and Innovation	20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)	23 August 2018 (2018-08-23)	246 days
2	Andrew Leigh		Labor	Albanese	Assistant Minister for Employment	31 May 2023 (2023-05-31)	incumbent	1 year, 346 days