# Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty

The New South Wales Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty is a minister in the Government of New South Wales with responsibility for administering legislation and policy in relation to that state's indigenous Australians in the state of New South Wales, Australia.
The current Minister for Aboriginal Affairs is David Harris, who also holds the portfolios of Gaming and Racing and Veterans, appointed with effect from 5 April 2023. The minister administers the portfolio through Aboriginal Affairs NSW, an agency of the Premier's Department, as well as a range of additional government agencies.
Ultimately, the minister is responsible to the Parliament of New South Wales.

## Office history

The first Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Frank Walker, was appointed by the Labor Government of Neville Wran on 2 October 1981 and a "Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs" was established on 1 January 1982. This role replaced the Aboriginal Affairs responsibilities of the Minister for Youth and Community Services (the last being Kevin Stewart). Prior to 1969 Aboriginal Affairs was within the purview of the Chief Secretary. The new ministry had responsibilities for advising the Government on "how and where land rights for Aboriginal people might be granted" and for the provision of services to Aboriginal communities.
On 15 April 1988, the Ministry was abolished and its responsibilities were transferred to the new "Bureau of Aboriginal Affairs" within the Premier’s Department. The Bureau was renamed to the "Office of Aboriginal Affairs" by June 1988 and was charged with the administration of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act, 1983 (NSW) and the administration of Aboriginal Land Councils. On 1 July 1993, the Office of Aboriginal Affairs was established as an administrative office independent of the Premier's Department responsible to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.
On 6 April 1995 the Office was abolished and was transferred to the "Department of Aboriginal Affairs". On 1 July 2009 the Department was abolished as an independent body and was subordinated to the new Department of Human Services. On 4 April 2011, the Department was renamed "Aboriginal Affairs NSW" and was transferred to the Department of Education and Communities within the Office of Communities. In July 2015 the Office of Communities was abolished but Aboriginal Affairs remained within the parent Department of Education.
Following the 2019 state election, Aboriginal Affairs NSW was transferred from the Department of Education to the Department of Premier and Cabinet, with Don Harwin appointed as Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts.

## List of ministers

| Ministerial title | Minister | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Frank Walker | Labor | Wran (4) (5) | 2 October 1981 | 10 February 1984 | 2 years, 131 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Paul Whelan | Labor | Wran (6) | 10 February 1984 | 5 April 1984 | 55 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | George Paciullo | Labor | Wran (7) | 5 April 1984 | 6 February 1986 | 1 year, 307 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Peter Anderson | Labor | Wran (8) | 6 February 1986 | 4 July 1986 | 148 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Ken Gabb | Labor | Unsworth | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Jim Longley | Liberal | Fahey (3) | 26 May 1993 | 4 April 1995 | 1 year, 313 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Andrew Refshauge | Labor | Carr (1) (2) (3) (4) | 4 April 1995 | 3 August 2005 | 10 years, 121 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Carmel Tebbutt | Labor | Iemma (1) | 3 August 2005 | 10 August 2005 | 7 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Milton Orkopoulos | Labor | Iemma (1) | 10 August 2005 | 8 November 2006 | 1 year, 90 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Reba Meagher | Labor | Iemma (1) | 8 November 2006 | 2 April 2007 | 145 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Paul Lynch | Labor | Iemma (2) Rees Keneally | 2 April 2007 | 28 March 2011 | 4 years, 1 day |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Victor Dominello | Liberal | O'Farrell Baird (1) | 3 April 2011 | 2 April 2015 | 3 years, 364 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Leslie Williams | National | Baird (2) | 2 April 2015 | 30 January 2017 | 1 year, 303 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Sarah Mitchell | National | Berejiklian (1) | 30 January 2017 | 23 March 2019 | 2 years, 52 days |
| Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts | Don Harwin | Liberal | Berejiklian (2) | 2 April 2019 | 15 April 2020 | 1 year, 13 days |
| Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts | Gladys Berejiklian (acting) | Liberal | Berejiklian (2) | 15 April 2020 | 3 July 2020 | 79 days |
| Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts | Don Harwin | Liberal | Berejiklian (2) Perrottet (1) | 3 July 2020 | 21 December 2021 | 1 year, 171 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Ben Franklin | National | Perrottet (2) | 21 December 2021 | 28 March 2023 | 1 year, 97 days |
| Special Minister of State | John Graham | Labor | Minns | 28 March 2023 | 5 April 2023 | 8 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty | David Harris | Labor | Minns | 5 April 2023 | incumbent | 1 year, 211 days |