# Minister for the Environment and Water

The Australian Minister for the Environment and Water is a position which is currently held by Tanya Plibersek in the Albanese ministry since 1 June 2022, following the Australian federal election in 2022.
In the Government of Australia, the minister and assistant minister are responsible for the protection and conservation of the environment; to ensure that Australia benefits from meteorological and related sciences and services; and to see that Australia's interests in Antarctica are advanced. The minister provides direction and oversight of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (previously the Department of the Environment and Energy, and before that the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities) to develop and implement national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve Australia's environment and heritage.

## Portfolio responsibilities

The minister administers their portfolio through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and its environment component bodies, including:
* Antarctic Animal Ethics Committee
* Antarctic Ethics Committee (Human Experimentation)
* Antarctic Research Assessment Committees (ARACs)
* Antarctic Science Advisory Committee
* Australia-Netherlands Committee on Old Dutch Shipwrecks
* Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee
* Australian Heritage Council
* Bureau of Meteorology
* Environment Protection and Heritage Council
* Great Barrier Reef Consultative Committee
* Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
* Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Council
* Great Barrier Reef Structural Adjustment Package Technical Advisory Committee
* Hazardous Waste Technical Group
* Murray-Darling Basin Authority
* National Environment Protection Council
* National Environmental Education Council
* New South Wales World Heritage Properties Ministerial Council
* Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator
* Science Program Management Committee
* State of the Environment Committee 2006
* Stockholm Intergovernmental Forum
* Sydney Harbour Federation Trust
* Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Ministerial Council
* Threatened Species Scientific Committee
* Wet Tropics Ministerial Council

## List of ministers
### Environment

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for the Environment, or any precedent titles:
| Order | Minister | Party affiliation | Prime Minister | Ministerial 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 | Minister for the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts | 5 December 1972 (1972-12-05) | 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) | 14 days |
| 3 | Moss Cass | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for the Environment and Conservation | 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) | 21 April 1975 (1975-04-21) | 2 years, 169 days |
| 3 | Moss Cass | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for the Environment | 21 April 1975 (1975-04-21) | 6 June 1975 (1975-06-06) | 2 years, 169 days |
| 4 | Jim Cairns | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for the Environment | 6 June 1975 (1975-06-06) | 2 July 1975 (1975-07-02) | 26 days |
| (2) | Gough Whitlam | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for the Environment | 2 July 1975 (1975-07-02) | 14 July 1975 (1975-07-14) | 12 days |
| 5 | Joe Berinson | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for the Environment | 14 July 1975 (1975-07-14) | 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) | 120 days |
| 6 | Andrew Peacock | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for the Environment | 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) | 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) | 41 days |
| 7 | Ivor Greenwood | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development | 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) | 8 July 1976 (1976-07-08) | 199 days |
| 8 | Kevin Newman | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development | 8 July 1976 (1976-07-08) | 20 December 1977 (1977-12-20) | 1 year, 165 days |
| 9 | Ray Groom | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development | 20 December 1977 (1977-12-20) | 5 December 1978 (1978-12-05) | 350 days |
| 10 | James Webster | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Science and the Environment | 5 December 1978 (1978-12-05) | 8 December 1979 (1979-12-08) | 1 year, 3 days |
| 11 | David Thomson | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Science and the Environment | 8 December 1979 (1979-12-08) | 3 November 1980 (1980-11-03) | 331 days |
| 12 | Robert Ellicott | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment | 3 November 1980 (1980-11-03) | 17 February 1981 (1981-02-17) | 106 days |
| 13 | Michael MacKellar | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment | 17 February 1981 (1981-02-17) | 19 March 1981 (1981-03-19) | 30 days |
| 14 | Ian Wilson | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment | 19 March 1981 (1981-03-19) | 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) | 1 year, 49 days |
| 15 | Tom McVeigh | National Country | Fraser | Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment | 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) | 16 October 1982 | 308 days |
| 15 | Tom McVeigh | National | Fraser | Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment | 16 October 1982 | 11 March 1983 | 308 days |
| 16 | Barry Cohen | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment | 11 March 1983 (1983-03-11) | 13 December 1984 (1984-12-13) | 4 years, 135 days |
| 16 | Barry Cohen | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Environment | 13 December 1984 (1984-12-13) | 24 July 1987 (1987-07-24) | 4 years, 135 days |
| 17 | John Brown | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories | 24 July 1987 (1987-07-24) | 18 December 1987 (1987-12-18) | 147 days |
| 18 | Graham Richardson | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories | 19 January 1988 (1988-01-19) | 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) | 2 years, 75 days |
| 19 | Ros Kelly | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories | 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) | 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) | 3 years, 331 days |
| 19 | Ros Kelly | Labor | Keating | Minister for Arts, Sport, the Environment and Territories | 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) | 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24) | 3 years, 331 days |
| 19 | Ros Kelly | Labor | Keating | Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories | 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24) | 1 March 1994 (1994-03-01) | 3 years, 331 days |
| (18) | Graham Richardson | Labor | Keating | Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories | 1 March 1994 (1994-03-01) | 25 March 1994 (1994-03-25) | 24 days |
| 20 | John Faulkner | Labor | Keating | Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories | 25 March 1994 (1994-03-25) | 11 March 1996 (1996-03-11) | 1 year, 352 days |
| 21 | Robert Hill | Liberal | Howard | Minister for the Environment | 11 March 1996 (1996-03-11) | 21 October 1998 (1998-10-21) | 5 years, 260 days |
| 22 | Robert Hill | Liberal | Howard | Minister for the Environment and Heritage | 21 October 1998 (1998-10-21) | 26 November 2001 (2001-11-26) | 5 years, 260 days |
| 23 | David Kemp | Liberal | Howard | Minister for the Environment and Heritage | 26 November 2001 (2001-11-26) | 26 October 2004 (2004-10-26) | 2 years, 335 days |
| 24 | Ian Campbell | Liberal | Howard | Minister for the Environment and Heritage | 26 October 2004 (2004-10-26) | 30 January 2007 (2007-01-30) | 2 years, 96 days |
| 25 | Malcolm Turnbull | Liberal | Howard | Minister for the Environment and Water Resources | 30 January 2007 (2007-01-30) | 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) | 307 days |
| 26 | Peter Garrett | Labor | Rudd | Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts | 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) | 8 March 2010 (2010-03-08) | 2 years, 285 days |
| 26 | Peter Garrett | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts | 8 March 2010 (2010-03-08) | 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) | 2 years, 285 days |
| 26 | Peter Garrett | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts | 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) | 14 September 2010 (2010-09-14) | 2 years, 285 days |
| 27 | Tony Burke | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities | 14 September 2010 (2010-09-14) | 1 July 2013 (2013-07-01) | 2 years, 290 days |
| 28 | Mark Butler | Labor | Rudd | Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Water | 1 July 2013 (2013-07-01) | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 79 days |
| 29 | Greg Hunt | Liberal | Abbott | Minister for the Environment | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) | 2 years, 305 days |
| 29 | Greg Hunt | Liberal | Turnbull | Minister for the Environment | 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) | 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19) | 2 years, 305 days |
| 30 | Josh Frydenberg | Liberal | Turnbull | Minister for the Environment and Energy | 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19) | 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) | 2 years, 40 days |
| 31 | Melissa Price | Liberal | Morrison | Minister for the Environment | 18 August 2018 (2018-08-18) | 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) | 274 days |
| 32 | Sussan Ley | Liberal | Morrison | Minister for the Environment | 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) | 23 May 2022 (2022-05-23) | 2 years, 359 days |
| 33 | Tanya Plibersek | Labor | Albanese | Minister for the Environment and Water | 1 June 2022 (2022-06-01) | Incumbent | 2 years, 174 days |
Notes
    Whitlam was one of a two-man ministry consisting of himself and Lance Barnard for two weeks until the full ministry was announced.

### Water

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Water, or any precedent titles:
| Order | Minister | Party affiliation | Prime Minister | Ministerial title | Term start | Term end | Term in office |
| 1 | Malcolm Turnbull | Liberal | Howard | Minister for the Environment and Water Resources | 30 January 2007 (2007-01-30) | 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) | 307 days |
| 2 | Penny Wong | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Climate Change and Water | 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) | 8 March 2010 (2010-03-08) | 2 years, 285 days |
| 2 | Penny Wong | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water | 8 March 2010 (2010-03-08) | 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) | 2 years, 285 days |
| 2 | Penny Wong | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water | 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) | 14 September 2010 (2010-09-14) | 2 years, 285 days |
| 3 | Tony Burke | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities | 14 September 2010 (2010-09-14) | 1 July 2013 (2013-07-01) | 2 years, 290 days |
| 4 | Mark Butler | Labor | Rudd | Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Water | 1 July 2013 (2013-07-01) | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 79 days |
| 5 | Barnaby Joyce | National | Turnbull | Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources | 21 September 2015 (2015-09-21) | 27 October 2017 (2017-10-27) | 2 years, 36 days |
| (1) | Malcolm Turnbull | Liberal | Turnbull | Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources | 27 October 2017 (2017-10-27) | 6 December 2017 (2017-12-06) | 40 days |
| (5) | Barnaby Joyce | National | Turnbull | Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources | 6 December 2017 (2017-12-06) | 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) | 14 days |
| 6 | David Littleproud | National | Turnbull | Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources | 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) | 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) | 2 years, 48 days |
| 6 | David Littleproud | National | Morrison | Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources | 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) | 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) | 2 years, 48 days |
| 6 | David Littleproud | National | Morrison | Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management | 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) | 6 February 2020 (2020-02-06) | 2 years, 48 days |
| 7 | Keith Pitt | National | Morrison | Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia | 6 February 2020 (2020-02-06) | 2 July 2021 (2021-07-02) | 2 years, 106 days |
| 7 | Keith Pitt | National | Morrison | Minister for Resources and Water | 2 July 2021 (2021-07-02) | 23 May 2022 (2022-05-23) | 2 years, 106 days |
| 8 | Tanya Plibersek | Labor | Albanese | Minister for the Environment and Water | 1 June 2022 (2022-06-01) | Incumbent | 2 years, 174 days |

## Former ministerial portfolios
### List of ministers for population

The following individuals have served as the Minister for Cities, or any other precedent titles: The Minister for Sustainable Population was a ministerial portfolio administered through the Department of the Treasury responsible for "planning properly for the infrastructure needs, for the housing needs, for the transport needs, for the regional needs" of the Australian population of the future. Originally entitled the Minister for Population by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, his successor, Julia Gillard, renamed the portfolio to the Minister for Sustainable Population to reflect her policy changes on the matter of population growth and the need for a sustainable future for Australia, saying the change sends a clear message about the new direction the Government is taking. After the 2010 federal election, the portfolio was subsumed by the Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities portfolio.
| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office |
| 1 | Tom Uren | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Urban and Regional Development | 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) | 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) | 2 years, 327 days |
| 2 | John Carrick | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Urban and Regional Development | 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) | 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) | 41 days |
| 3 | Ivor Greenwood | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development | 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) | 8 July 1976 (1976-07-08) | 199 days |
| 4 | Kevin Newman | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development | 8 July 1976 (1976-07-08) | 20 December 1977 (1977-12-20) | 1 year, 165 days |
| 5 | Ray Groom | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development | 20 December 1977 (1977-12-20) | 5 December 1978 (1978-12-05) | 350 days |
| 6 | Tony Burke | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Population | 14 April 2010 (2010-04-14) | 28 June 2010 (2010-06-28) | 3 years, 78 days |
| 6 | Tony Burke | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Sustainable Population | 28 June 2010 (2010-06-28) | 14 September 2010 (2010-09-14) | 3 years, 78 days |
| 6 | Tony Burke | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities | 14 September 2010 (2010-09-14) | 1 July 2013 (2013-07-01) | 3 years, 78 days |
| 7 | Jamie Briggs | Liberal | Abbott | Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 15 September 2015 | 2 years, 102 days |
| 7 | Jamie Briggs | Liberal | Turnbull | Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development | 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) | 21 September 2015 | 2 years, 102 days |
| 7 | Jamie Briggs | Liberal | Turnbull | Minister for Cities and the Built Environment | 21 September 2015 (2015-09-21) | 29 December 2015 | 2 years, 102 days |
| 8 | Paul Fletcher | Liberal | Turnbull | Minister for Urban Infrastructure | 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19) | 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) | 2 years, 39 days |
| 8 | Paul Fletcher | Liberal | Turnbull | Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities | 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) | 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) | 2 years, 39 days |
| 9 | Alan Tudge | Liberal | Morrison | Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population | 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) | 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) | 2 years, 116 days |
| 9 | Alan Tudge | Liberal | Morrison | Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure | 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) | 22 December 2020 (2020-12-22) | 2 years, 116 days |
| (8) | Paul Fletcher | Liberal | Morrison | Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts | 22 December 2020 (2020-12-22) | 23 May 2022 (2022-05-23) | 1 year, 152 days |
| 10 | Jenny McAllister | Labor | Albanese | Minister for Cities | 29 July 2024 (2024-07-29) | Incumbent | 116 days |

## Assistant ministers
### List of assistant ministers for the environment

The following individual has served as the Assistant Minister for the Environment.
| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office |
| 1 | Sharman Stone | Liberal | Howard | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage | 21 October 1998 (1998-10-21) | 26 October 2004 (2004-10-26) | 6 years, 5 days |
| 2 | Greg Hunt | Liberal | Howard | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage | 26 October 2004 (2004-10-26) | 30 January 2007 (2007-01-30) | 2 years, 96 days |
| 3 | John Cobb | National | Howard | Assistant Minister for the Environment and Heritage | 30 January 2007 (2007-01-30) | 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) | 307 days |
| 4 | Amanda Rishworth | Labor | Rudd | Parliamentary Secretary for Environment and Urban Water | 1 July 2013 (2013-07-01) | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 79 days |
| 5 | Simon Birmingham | Liberal | Abbott | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 23 December 2014 (2014-12-23) | 1 year, 96 days |
| 6 | Bob Baldwin | Liberal | Abbott | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment | 23 December 2014 (2014-12-23) | 21 September 2015 (2015-09-21) | 272 days |
| 7 | Melissa Price | Liberal | Turnbull | Assistant Minister for the Environment | 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) | 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) | 251 days |

### List of assistant ministers for water

The following individual has served as the Assistant Minister for Water.
| Order | Minister | Party | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office |
| 1 | Anne Ruston | | Liberal | Turnbull | Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources | 21 September 2015 (2015-09-21) | 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) | 2 years, 341 days |