# 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.
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. The act is currently up for review, as it seen by the current administration as burdened by "costly regulatory obstacles".

## 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".
| Minister | Party affiliation | Ministerial title | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| Paul Landa | Labor | Minister for Planning and Environment | 21 December 1977 | 29 February 1980 | 2 years, 70 days |
| Eric Bedford | Labor | Minister for Planning and Environment | 29 February 1980 | 10 February 1984 | 3 years, 347 days |
| Terry Sheahan | Labor | Minister for Planning and Environment | 10 February 1984 | 12 December 1984 | 306 days |
| Bob Carr | Labor | Minister for Planning and Environment | 12 December 1984 | 4 July 1986 | 3 years, 100 days |
| Bob Carr | Labor | Minister for Heritage | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 3 years, 100 days |
| David Hay | Liberal | Minister for Planning | 21 March 1988 | 3 May 1991 | 3 years, 43 days |
| Robert Webster | National | Minister for Planning | 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 | Labor | Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning | 8 April 1999 | 2 April 2003 | 3 years, 359 days |
| Diane Beamer | Labor | Minister Assisting the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning (Planning Administration) | 2 April 2003 | 3 August 2005 | 2 years, 123 days |
| Frank Sartor | Labor | Minister for Planning | 3 August 2005 | 5 September 2008 | 3 years, 33 days |
| Kristina Keneally | Labor | Minister for Planning | 8 September 2008 | 4 December 2009 | 1 year, 90 days |
| Tony Kelly | Labor | Minister for Planning | 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 | Liberal | Minister for Heritage | 23 April 2014 | 2 April 2015 | 344 days |
| Mark Speakman | Liberal | Minister for Heritage | 2 April 2015 | 30 January 2017 | 1 year, 303 days |
| Gabrielle Upton | Liberal | Minister for Heritage | 30 January 2017 | 23 March 2019 | 2 years, 52 days |
| Don Harwin | Liberal | Special Minister of State | 23 March 2019 | 21 December 2021 | 2 years, 273 days |
| James Griffin | Liberal | 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 | 1 year, 223 days |