Minister for the Arts (Australia)

The Minister for the Arts is a position in the Cabinet of Australia responsible for creative industries and culture. It has been held by Tony Burke in the Albanese ministry since 1 June 2022 following the Australian federal election in 2022.^[1]

Minister for the Arts
Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Flag of Australia
Incumbent Tony Burke since 1 June 2022 (2022-06-01)
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	Governor-General on the advice of the prime minister
Inaugural holder	Peter Howson
Formation	10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)
Website	minister.infrastructure.gov.au/burke

The minister administers the portfolio through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.

List of arts ministers

The only minister before Simon Crean to have the title of Minister for the Arts was Bob McMullan between 24 March 1993 and 25 March 1994.^{[citation needed]} However, "Arts" has appeared in several ministerial titles since Peter Howson was appointed Minister for the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts on 10 March 1971. The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for the Arts, or any of its precedent titles:^[2]

Order	Minister	Party		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Peter Howson		Liberal	McMahon	Minister for the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts	10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)	5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)	1 year, 270 days
2	Gough Whitlam		Labor	Whitlam		5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)	19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)	14 days
3	Tony Staley		Liberal	Fraser	Minister assisting the Prime Minister in matters concerning the Arts	16 August 1976 (1976-08-16)	20 December 1977 (1977-12-20)	1 year, 126 days
4	Barry Cohen		Labor	Hawke	Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Environment	13 December 1984 (1984-12-13)	24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)	2 years, 223 days
5	John Brown				Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories	24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)	18 December 1987 (1987-12-18)	147 days
6	Graham Richardson					19 January 1988 (1988-01-19)	4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)	2 years, 75 days
7	Ros Kelly					4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)	27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)	2 years, 354 days
				Keating	Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environment and Territories	27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)	24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)
8	Bob McMullan				Minister for the Arts and Administrative Services	24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)	30 January 1994 (1994-01-30)	312 days
9	Michael Lee				Minister for Communications and the Arts	30 January 1994 (1994-01-30)	11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	2 years, 41 days
10	Richard Alston		Liberal	Howard		11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	9 October 1997 (1997-10-09)	7 years, 210 days
					Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts	9 October 1997 (1997-10-09)	21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)
					Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts	21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)	7 October 2003 (2003-10-07)
11	Daryl Williams					7 October 2003 (2003-10-07)	18 July 2004 (2004-07-18)	285 days
12	Helen Coonan					18 July 2004 (2004-07-18)	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	3 years, 138 days
13	Peter Garrett		Labor	Rudd	Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	8 March 2010 (2010-03-08)	2 years, 285 days
					Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts	8 March 2010 (2010-03-08)	28 June 2010 (2010-06-28)
				Gillard		28 June 2010 (2010-06-28)	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)
14	Simon Crean				Minister for the Arts	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	25 March 2013 (2013-03-25)	2 years, 192 days
15	Tony Burke					25 March 2013 (2013-03-25)	26 June 2013 (2013-06-26)	177 days
				Rudd		26 June 2013 (2013-06-26)	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
16	George Brandis		Liberal	Abbott		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)
17	Mitch Fifield					21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)	23 August 2018 (2018-08-23)	3 years, 250 days
				Morrison	Minister for Communications and the Arts	28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)	29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)
18	Paul Fletcher				Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts	29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)	22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)	2 years, 359 days
					Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts	22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)	23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)
(15)	Tony Burke		Labor	Albanese	Minister for the Arts	1 June 2022 (2022-06-01)	Incumbent	3 years, 77 days

Former ministerial titles

List of junior arts ministers

Order	Minister	Party		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Gary Punch		Labor	Hawke	Minister for the Arts and Territories	19 January 1988 (1988-01-19)	2 September 1988 (1988-09-02)	227 days
2	Clyde Holding					2 September 1988 (1988-09-02)	22 May 1989 (1989-05-22)	1 year, 214 days
					Minister for the Arts, Tourism and Territories	22 May 1989 (1989-05-22)	4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)
3	David Simmons					4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)	20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)	1 year, 267 days
				Keating		20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)	27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)
4	Wendy Fatin				Minister for the Arts and Territories	27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)	24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)	1 year, 87 days
5	Peter McGauran		National	Howard	Minister for the Arts and the Centenary of Federation	21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)	26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	3 years, 36 days
6	Rod Kemp		Liberal		Minister for the Arts and Sport	26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)	5 years, 65 days
7	George Brandis					30 January 2007 (2007-01-30)	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	307 days