# Minister for Lands (Western Australia)

Minister for Lands is a position in the government of Western Australia, currently held by John Carey of the Labor Party. The position was first created in 1870, under the name Commissioner of Crown Lands, at a time when Western Australia was still a British colony and had not yet achieved responsible government. Except for a brief period between 2001 and 2003, it has existed in every government since then. The minister is currently responsible for the state government's Land Use Management division comprising part of the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, which is responsible for the management of crown land in Western Australia.

## Titles

* 18 December 1870 – 27 May 1901: Commissioner of Crown Lands
* 27 May 1901 – 25 February 1983: Minister for Lands
* 25 February 1983 – 25 February 1986: Minister for Lands and Surveys
* 25 February 1986 – 16 February 2001: Minister for Lands
* 27 June 2003 – 23 September 2008: Minister for Land Information
* 23 September 2008 – 19 March 2025: Minister for Lands
* 19 March 2025 – present: Minister for Planning and Lands

## List of ministers

| Term start | Term end | Minister | Party |
| 18 December 1870 | 9 April 1883 | Malcolm Fraser | None |
| 10 July 1883 | 9 June 1887 | John Forrest | None |
| 9 June 1887 | 4 January 1888 | J. C. H. James | None |
| 6 March 1888 | 21 October 1890 | John Forrest (again) | None |
| 29 December 1890 | 4 December 1894 | William Marmion | None |
| 4 December 1894 | 13 March 1897 | Alexander Richardson | Ministerial |
| 13 March 1897 | 14 February 1901 | George Throssell | Ministerial |
| 15 February 1901 | 27 May 1901 | Charles Moran | Ministerial |
| 27 May 1901 | 21 November 1901 | Charles Sommers | Ministerial |
| 21 November 1901 | 23 December 1901 | John Nanson | Ministerial |
| 23 December 1901 | 23 January 1903 | Adam Jameson | Ministerial |
| 23 January 1903 | 10 August 1904 | John Hopkins | Ministerial |
| 10 August 1904 | 7 June 1905 | John Drew | Independent |
| 7 June 1905 | 25 August 1905 | Thomas Bath | Labor |
| 25 August 1905 | 30 June 1909 | Newton Moore | Ministerial |
| 30 June 1909 | 7 October 1911 | James Mitchell | Ministerial |
| 17 October 1911 | 23 November 1914 | Thomas Bath (again) | Labor |
| 23 November 1914 | 27 July 1916 | William Johnson | Labor |
| 27 July 1916 | 17 April 1919 | Henry Lefroy | Lib./Nat. |
| 17 April 1919 | 15 April 1924 | James Mitchell (again) | Nationalist |
| 16 April 1924 | 30 April 1927 | William Angwin | Labor |
| 30 April 1927 | 23 April 1930 | Frank Troy | Labor |
| 24 April 1930 | 24 April 1933 | Charles Latham | Country |
| 24 April 1933 | 15 March 1939 | Frank Troy (again) | Labor |
| 15 March 1939 | 3 August 1945 | Frank Wise | Labor |
| 3 August 1945 | 1 April 1947 | Alexander Panton | Labor |
| 1 April 1947 | 23 February 1953 | Lindsay Thorn | Country |
| 23 February 1953 | 17 December 1957 | Ernest Hoar | Labor |
| 17 December 1957 | 2 April 1959 | Lionel Kelly | Labor |
| 2 April 1959 | 3 March 1971 | Stewart Bovell | Liberal |
| 3 March 1971 | 8 April 1974 | David Evans | Labor |
| 8 April 1974 | 10 March 1977 | Alan Ridge | Liberal |
| 10 March 1977 | 25 August 1978 | June Craig | Liberal |
| 25 August 1978 | 25 January 1982 | David Wordsworth | Liberal |
| 25 January 1982 | 25 February 1983 | Ian Laurance | Liberal |
| 25 February 1983 | 25 February 1986 | Ken McIver | Labor |
| 25 February 1986 | 16 March 1987 | Ian Taylor | Labor |
| 16 March 1987 | 25 February 1988 | Keith Wilson | Labor |
| 25 February 1988 | 28 February 1989 | Yvonne Henderson | Labor |
| 28 February 1989 | 5 February 1991 | Kay Hallahan | Labor |
| 5 February 1991 | 16 February 1993 | David Smith | Labor |
| 16 February 1993 | 26 April 1996 | George Cash | Liberal |
| 26 April 1996 | 9 January 1997 | Graham Kierath | Liberal |
| 9 January 1997 | 16 February 2001 | Doug Shave | Liberal |
| 22 December 1999 | 16 February 2001 | Rob Johnson | Liberal |
| 2001–2003: no minister – responsibilities held by the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure |||||
| 27 June 2003 | 10 March 2005 | Nick Griffiths | Labor |
| 10 March 2005 | 3 February 2006 | John Bowler | Labor |
| 3 February 2006 | 23 September 2008 | Michelle Roberts | Labor |
| 23 September 2008 | 11 December 2013 | Brendon Grylls | National |
| 11 December 2013 | 17 March 2017 | Terry Redman | National |
| 17 March 2017 | 13 December 2018 | Rita Saffioti | Labor |
| 13 December 2018 | 13 March 2021 | Ben Wyatt | Labor |
| 19 March 2021 | 21 December 2021 | Tony Buti | Labor |
| 21 December 2021 | Incumbent | John Carey | Labor |