# Minister for Justice (Australia)

The Minister for Justice was a portfolio in the Australian government between 18 September 1987, when the post was held by Michael Tate, and 20 December 2017, when the last incumbent of the office was Michael Keenan. Keenan was appointed to the post on 18 September 2013. Following a rearrangement of the Second Turnbull Ministry in December 2017, the post was subsumed into the newly-established portfolio of the Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity, part of the Home Affairs portfolio.

## Former scope

The former minister was responsible for certain matters relating to criminal justice, law enforcement and national security including the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. The Minister for Justice was a junior minister who supported the Attorney-General, and previously administered the portfolio through the Attorney-General's Department.
From October 1998 to December 2007, the Minister for Justice was responsible for border control and the Australian Customs Service. From September 2010 to September 2013 the Minister for Justice also held the position of Minister for Home Affairs with broad responsibilities within the Attorney-General's Department.

## List of former ministers for justice

The following individuals were appointed as Minister for Justice, or any of its precedent titles:
| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office |
| 1 | Kep Enderby | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Police and Customs | 27 March 1975 (1975-3-27) | 6 June 1975 (1975-6-6) | 71 days |
| 2 | Jim Cavanagh | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Police and Customs | 6 June 1975 (1975-6-6) | 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) | 158 days |
| 3 | Ivor Greenwood | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Police and Customs | 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) | 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) | 41 days |
| 4 | Michael Tate | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Justice | 18 September 1987 (1987-9-18) | 4 April 1990 (1990-4-4) | 5 years, 187 days |
| 4 | Michael Tate | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Justice and Consumer Affairs | 4 April 1990 (1990-4-4) | 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) | 5 years, 187 days |
| 4 | Michael Tate | Labor | Keating | Minister for Justice and Consumer Affairs | 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) | 27 May 1992 (1992-5-27) | 5 years, 187 days |
| 4 | Michael Tate | Labor | Keating | Minister for Justice | 27 May 1992 (1992-5-27) | 24 March 1993 (1993-3-24) | 5 years, 187 days |
| 5 | Duncan Kerr | Labor | Keating | Minister for Justice | 24 March 1993 (1993-3-24) | 11 March 1996 (1996-3-11) | 2 years, 353 days |
| 6 | Daryl Williams | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Justice | 11 March 1996 (1996-3-11) | 9 October 1997 (1997-10-9) | 1 year, 212 days |
| 7 | Amanda Vanstone | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Justice | 9 October 1997 | 21 October 1998 | 3 years, 113 days |
| 7 | Amanda Vanstone | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Justice and Customs | 21 October 1998 | 30 January 2001 | 3 years, 113 days |
| 8 | Chris Ellison | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Justice and Customs | 30 January 2001 | 9 March 2007 | 6 years, 38 days |
| 9 | David Johnston | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Justice and Customs | 9 March 2007 (2007-3-9) | 3 December 2007 (2007-12-3) | 269 days |
| 10 | Brendan O'Connor | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Justice | 14 September 2010 | 14 December 2011 (2011-12-14) | 1 year, 91 days |
| 11 | Jason Clare | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Justice | 14 December 2011 (2011-12-14) | 1 July 2013 (2013-7-1) | 1 year, 278 days |
| 11 | Jason Clare | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Justice | 1 July 2013 (2013-7-1) | 18 September 2013 (2013-9-18) | 1 year, 278 days |
| 12 | Michael Keenan | Liberal | Abbott | Minister for Justice | 18 September 2013 (2013-9-18) | 15 September 2015 (2015-9-15) | 4 years, 93 days |
| 12 | Michael Keenan | Liberal | Turnbull | Minister for Justice | 15 September 2015 (2015-9-15) | 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) | 4 years, 93 days |
| For subsequent appointments, see the Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity |||||||||