# Third Howard ministry

* This article is part of a series about John Howard
Early life
Member for Bennelong (1974–2007)
Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs
Minister for Special Trade Negotiations
Treasurer of Australia
Early 1980s recession
1983 Liberal Party leadership election
1985 Liberal Party leadership spill
Joh for Canberra debacle
1987 Liberal Party leadership spill
One Australia
1989 Liberal Party leadership spill
Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations
1993 Liberal Party leadership spill
1995 Liberal Party leadership spill
Prime Minister of Australia
Term of government (1996–2007)
Gun control
Workplace Relations Act 1996
1996 Parliament House riot
Wik Peoples v Queensland
Waterfront dispute
Native Title Amendment Act 1998
Work for the Dole scheme
1998 Australian Constitutional Convention
Republic referendum
Australian intervention in East Timor
GST and taxation
Tampa affair
The Pacific Solution
Australian involvement in the War in Afghanistan
Australian involvement in the Iraq War
Marriage Amendment Act 2004
WorkChoices
Northern Territory intervention
Ministries
First Ministry
Second Ministry
Third Ministry
Fourth Ministry
Elections
1987
1996
1998
2001
2004
2007
Lazarus Rising :
vte :
The third Howard ministry (Liberal–National coalition) was the 62nd ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 25th prime minister, John Howard. The third Howard ministry succeeded the second Howard ministry, which dissolved on 26 November 2001 following the federal election that took place on 10 November. The ministry was replaced by the fourth Howard ministry on 26 October 2004 following the 2004 federal election.

## Cabinet

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Hon John Howard (1939-) MP for Bennelong (1974-2007) | Prime Minister Leader of the Liberal Party |
| Nationals | Hon John Anderson (1956–) MP for Gwydir (1989–2007) | Deputy Prime Minister Leader of the National Party Minister for Transport and Regional Services |
| Liberal | Hon Peter Costello (1957-) MP for Higgins (1990-2009) | Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party Treasurer |
| Nationals | Hon Mark Vaile (1956–) MP for Lyne (1993–2008) | Deputy Leader of the National Party Minister for Trade |
| Liberal | Hon Robert Hill (1946–) Senator for South Australia (1981–2006) | Leader of the Government in the Senate Minister for Defence |
| Liberal | Hon Richard Alston (1941–) Senator for Victoria (1986–2004) | Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (to 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Alexander Downer (1951–) MP for Mayo (1984–2008) | Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| Liberal | Hon Tony Abbott (1957–) MP for Warringah (1994–2019) | Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (to 7 October 2003) Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service (to 7 October 2003) Minister for Health and Ageing (from 7 October 2003) Leader of the House |
| Liberal | Hon Philip Ruddock (1943–) MP for Berowra (1993–2016) | Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (to 7 October 2003) Minister assisting the Prime Minister for Reconciliation (to 7 October 2003) Attorney-General (from 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Dr David Kemp (1941–) MP for Goldstein (1990–2004) | Minister for the Environment and Heritage (to 18 July 2004) Vice-President of the Executive Council (to 18 July 2004) |
| Liberal | Hon Daryl Williams QC (1942–) MP for Tangney (1993–2004) | Attorney-General (to 7 October 2003) Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (from 7 October 2003 to 18 July 2004) |
| Liberal | Hon Nick Minchin (1953–) Senator for South Australia (1993–2011) | Minister for Finance and Administration Vice-President of the Executive Council |
| Nationals | Hon Warren Truss (1948–) MP for Wide Bay (1990–2016) | Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry |
| Liberal | Hon Amanda Vanstone (1952–) Senator for South Australia (1984–2007) | Minister for Family and Community Services (to 7 October 2003) Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women (to 7 October 2003) Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (from 7 October 2003) Minister assisting the Prime Minister for Reconciliation (from 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Dr Brendan Nelson (1958–) MP for Bradfield (1996–2009) | Minister for Education, Science, and Training |
| Liberal | Hon Kay Patterson (1944–) Senator for Victoria (1987–2008) | Minister for Health and Ageing (to 7 October 2003) Minister for Family and Community Services (from 7 October 2003) Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women (from 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Ian Macfarlane (1955–) MP for Groom (1998–2016) | Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources |
| Liberal | Hon Kevin Andrews (1955–2024) MP for Menzies (1991–2022) (in Cabinet from 7 October 2003) | Minister for Ageing (to 7 October 2003) Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (from 7 October 2003) Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service (from 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Helen Coonan (1947–) Senator for New South Wales (1996–2011) (in Cabinet from 18 July 2004) | Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer (to 18 July 2004) Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (from 18 July 2004) |
| Liberal | Hon Ian Campbell (1959–) Senator for Western Australia (1990–2007) (in Cabinet from 18 July 2004) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer (to 7 October 2003) Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads (from 7 October 2003 to 18 July 2004) Minister for the Environment and Heritage (from 18 July 2004) Manager of Government Business in the Senate |

## Outer ministry

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Hon Chris Ellison (1954–) Senator for Western Australia (1993–2009) | Minister for Justice and Customs |
| Liberal | Hon Ian Macdonald (1945–) Senator for Queensland (1990–2019) | Minister for Forestry and Conservation (to 14 November 2002) Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation (from 14 November 2002) |
| Liberal | Hon Rod Kemp (1944–) Senator for Victoria (1990–2008) | Minister for the Arts and Sport |
| Liberal | Hon Joe Hockey (1965–) MP for North Sydney (1996–2015) | Minister for Small Business and Tourism |
| Nationals | Hon Peter McGauran (1955–) MP for Gippsland (1983–2008) | Minister for Science |
| Nationals | Hon Larry Anthony (1961–) MP for Richmond (1996–2004) | Minister for Children and Youth Affairs |
| Liberal | Hon Mal Brough (1961–) MP for Longman (1996–2007) | Minister for Employment Services (to 18 July 2004) Minister assisting the Minister for Defence (from 7 October 2003 to 18 July 2004) Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer (from 18 July 2004) |
| Liberal | Hon Eric Abetz (1958–) Senator for Tasmania (1994–) | Special Minister of State |
| Liberal | Hon Danna Vale (1944–) MP for Hughes (1996–2010) | Minister for Veterans' Affairs Minister assisting the Minister for Defence (to 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Gary Hardgrave (1960–) MP for Moreton (1996–2007) | Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Minister assisting the Prime Minister (from 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Wilson Tuckey (1935–) MP for O'Connor (1980–2010) (in ministry from 25 January 2002) | Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government (from 25 January 2002 to 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Julie Bishop (1956–) MP for Curtin (1998–2019) (in ministry from 7 October 2003) | Minister for Ageing (from 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Jim Lloyd (1954–) MP for Robertson (1996–2007) (in ministry from 18 July 2004) | Chief Government Whip in the House (from 23 November 2001 to 18 July 2004) Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads (from 18 July 2004) |
| Liberal | Hon Fran Bailey (1946–) MP for McEwen (1996–2010) (in ministry from 18 July 2004) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence (to 18 July 2004) Minister for Employment Services (from 18 July 2004) Minister assisting the Minister for Defence (from 18 July 2004) |

## Parliamentary Secretaries

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Liberal | Hon Jackie Kelly (1964–) MP for Lindsay (1996–2007) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister |
| Liberal | Hon Trish Worth (1946–) MP for Adelaide (1993–2004) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing |
| Liberal | Hon Judith Troeth (1940–) Senator for Victoria (1993–2011) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry |
| Liberal | Hon Peter Slipper (1950–) MP for Fisher (1993–2013) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration |
| Liberal | Bill Heffernan (1943–) Senator for New South Wales (1996–2016) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet (to 19 March 2002) |
| Liberal | Hon Dr Sharman Stone (1951–) MP for Murray (1996–2016) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage |
| Liberal | Hon Warren Entsch (1950–) MP for Leichhardt (1996–2007) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Science and Resources |
| Nationals | Hon Ron Boswell (1940–) Senator for Queensland (1983–2014) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services (to 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Chris Gallus (1943–) MP for Hindmarsh (1993–2004) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (to 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Ross Cameron (1965–) MP for Parramatta (1996–2004) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Family and Community Services (to 7 October 2003) Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer (from 7 October 2003) |
| Nationals | Hon De-Anne Kelly (1954–) MP for Dawson (1996–2007) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services (from 7 October 2003) Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade (from 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Christopher Pyne (1967–) MP for Sturt (1993–2019) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Family and Community Services (from 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Bruce Billson (1966–) MP for Dunkley (1996–2016) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (from 7 October 2003) |
| Liberal | Hon Teresa Gambaro (1958–) MP for Petrie (1996–2007) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence (from 18 July 2004) |