# Minister for Health (New South Wales)

The New South Wales Minister for Health is a minister in the New South Wales Government and has responsibilities which includes all hospitals, health services, and medical research in New South Wales, Australia.
Together they administer the health portfolio through the Health cluster, including the Ministry of Health, its Office of Medical Research, and a range of other government agencies, including local health districts and the NSW Ambulance service.
Ultimately, the ministers are responsible to the Parliament of New South Wales.

## Office history

The role of a government advisor and administrator on medical policy in New South Wales began in 1914, with the appointment of Fred Flowers as the Minister for Public Health. However the medical portfolio had been administered in the government since 1848 when the first "Medical Adviser to the Government" was appointed, with his office reporting to the Colonial Secretary. Following the amalgamation of the Board of Health and the Medical Advisor to the Government a "Department of Public Health" was established in April 1904, headed by the President of the Board of Health. This department was abolished in 1913 and was replaced by the "Office of the Director-General of Public Health" which, like its predecessor, operated under the supervision of the Colonial Secretary. Upon Flowers' appointment as Minister for Public Health, a dedicated government minister supervised the portfolio while remaining the junior minister to the Colonial Secretary. The office was reconstituted as a fully independent "Department of Public Health" headed by the Minister (titled Minister for Health since 1930) in 1938.
The department existed until its abolition in 1972 with the passing of the Health Commission Act 1972 which created the "Health Commission of New South Wales" headed by the minister. In December 1982 the Health Commission was abolished by the Health Administration Act 1982 and replaced by the Department of Health. On 5 October 2011 the department was renamed the "Ministry of Health".

## List of ministers
### Health

| Title | Minister | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| Minister for Public Health | Fred Flowers | Labor | Holman (1) | 22 April 1914 | 27 April 1915 | 1 year, 5 days |
| Minister for Public Health | George Black | Labor | Holman (1) | 27 April 1915 | 15 November 1916 | 1 year, 202 days |
| Minister for Public Health | Jack FitzGerald | Nationalist | Holman (2) | 15 November 1916 | 18 July 1919 | 2 years, 245 days |
| Minister for Public Health | David Storey | Nationalist | Holman (2) | 18 July 1919 | 29 January 1920 | 195 days |
| Minister for Public Health and Motherhood | Greg McGirr | Labor | Storey Dooley (1) | 9 February 1920 | 20 December 1921 | 1 year, 314 days |
| Minister for Public Health | Charles Oakes | Nationalist | Fuller (1) | 20 December 1921 a.m. | 20 December 1921 p.m. | 7 hours |
| Minister for Public Health | Greg McGirr | Labor | Dooley (2) | 20 December 1921 | 13 April 1922 | 114 days |
| Minister for Public Health | Charles Oakes | Nationalist | Fuller (2) | 12 April 1922 | 17 June 1925 | 3 years, 66 days |
| Minister for Public Health | George Cann | Labor | Lang (1) | 17 June 1925 | 26 May 1927 | 1 year, 343 days |
| Minister for Public Health | Robert Stuart-Robertson | Labor | Lang (2) | 26 May 1927 | 18 October 1927 | 145 days |
| Minister for Public Health | Richard Arthur | Nationalist | Bavin | 18 October 1927 | 3 November 1930 | 3 years, 16 days |
| Minister for Health | James McGirr | Labor | Lang (3) | 4 November 1930 | 17 June 1931 | 225 days |
| Minister for Health | Bill Ely | Labor | Lang (3) | 17 June 1931 | 15 October 1931 | 331 days |
| Minister for Health | Bill Ely | Lang Labor | Lang (3) | 15 October 1931 | 13 May 1932 | 331 days |
| Minister for Health | Reginald Weaver | United Australia | Stevens (1) | 16 May 1932 | 10 February 1935 | 2 years, 270 days |
| Minister for Health | Herbert FitzSimons | United Australia | Stevens (2) (3) | 11 February 1935 | 5 August 1939 | 4 years, 175 days |
| Minister for Health | Hubert Primrose | United Australia | Mair | 5 August 1939 | 5 September 1939 | 31 days |
| Minister for Health | Herbert FitzSimons | United Australia | Mair | 5 September 1939 | 16 May 1941 | 1 year, 253 days |
| Minister for Health | Gus Kelly | Labor | McKell (1) (2) McGirr (1) (2) | 16 May 1941 | 30 June 1950 | 9 years, 45 days |
| Minister for Health | Maurice O'Sullivan | Labor | McGirr (3) Cahill (1) (2) | 30 June 1950 | 15 March 1956 | 5 years, 259 days |
| Minister for Health | Bill Sheahan | Labor | Cahill (3) (4) Heffron (1) (2) Renshaw | 15 March 1956 | 13 May 1965 | 9 years, 59 days |
| Minister for Health | Harry Jago | Liberal | Askin (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) | 13 May 1965 | 3 December 1973 | 8 years, 204 days |
| Minister for Health | John Waddy | Liberal | Askin (6) | 3 December 1973 | 3 January 1975 | 1 year, 31 days |
| Minister for Health | Dick Healey | Liberal | Lewis (1) (2) Willis | 3 January 1975 | 14 May 1976 | 1 year, 132 days |
| Minister for Health | Kevin Stewart | Labor | Wran (1) (2) (3) | 14 May 1976 | 2 October 1981 | 5 years, 141 days |
| Minister for Health | Laurie Brereton | Labor | Wran (4) (5) | 2 October 1981 | 10 February 1984 | 3 years, 0 days |
| Minister for Health | Ron Mulock | Labor | Wran (6) (7) (8) | 10 February 1984 | 6 February 1986 | 1 year, 127 days |
| Minister for Health | Barrie Unsworth | Labor | Unsworth | 6 February 1986 | 4 July 1986 | 148 days |
| Minister for Health Minister for the Drug Offensive | Peter Anderson | Labor | Unsworth | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 265 days |
| Minister for Health | Peter Collins | Liberal | Greiner (1) | 25 March 1988 | 6 June 1991 | 3 years, 73 days |
| Minister for Health and Community Services | John Hannaford | Liberal | Greiner (2) Fahey (1) | 6 June 1991 | 24 June 1992 | 1 year, 18 days |
| Minister for Health | Ron Phillips | Liberal | Fahey (2) (3) | 24 June 1992 | 4 April 1995 | 2 years, 284 days |
| Minister for Health | Andrew Refshauge | Labor | Carr (1) (2) | 4 April 1995 | 8 April 1999 | 4 years, 4 days |
| Minister for Health | Craig Knowles | Labor | Carr (3) | 8 April 1999 | 2 April 2003 | 3 years, 359 days |
| Minister for Health | Morris Iemma | Labor | Carr (4) | 2 April 2003 | 3 August 2005 | 2 years, 123 days |
| Minister for Health | John Hatzistergos | Labor | Iemma (1) | 3 August 2005 | 2 April 2007 | 1 year, 242 days |
| Minister for Health | Reba Meagher | Labor | Iemma (2) | 2 April 2007 | 5 September 2008 | 1 year, 156 days |
| Minister for Health | John Della Bosca | Labor | Rees | 5 September 2008 | 1 September 2009 | 361 days |
| Minister for Health | John Hatzistergos | Labor | Rees | 1 September 2009 | 14 September 2009 | 13 days |
| Minister for Health | Carmel Tebbutt | Labor | Rees Keneally | 14 September 2009 | 28 March 2011 | 1 year, 226 days |
| Minister for Health | Jillian Skinner | Liberal | O'Farrell Baird (1) (2) | 3 April 2011 | 30 January 2017 | 5 years, 302 days |
| Minister for Health | Brad Hazzard | Liberal | Berejiklian (1) | 30 January 2017 | 23 March 2019 | 6 years, 57 days |
| Minister for Health and Medical Research | Brad Hazzard | Liberal | Berejiklian (2) Perrottet (1) | 2 April 2019 | 21 December 2021 | 6 years, 57 days |
| Minister for Health | Brad Hazzard | Liberal | Perrottet (2) | 21 December 2021 | 28 March 2023 | 6 years, 57 days |
| Minister for Health and Regional Health | Ryan Park | Labor | Minns | 28 March 2023 | 5 April 2023 | 1 year, 195 days |
| Minister for Health | Ryan Park | Labor | Minns | 5 April 2023 | incumbent | 1 year, 195 days |

### Mental health

| Title | Minister | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| Minister for Mental Health | Kevin Humphries | National | O'Farrell | 4 April 2011 | 17 April 2014 | 3 years, 13 days |
| Minister for Mental Health | Jai Rowell | Liberal | Baird (1) | 17 April 2014 | 2 April 2015 | 350 days |
| Minister for Mental Health | Pru Goward | Liberal | Baird (2) | 2 April 2015 | 23 January 2017 | 1 year, 296 days |
| Minister for Mental Health | Tanya Davies | Liberal | Berejiklian (1) | 30 January 2017 | 23 March 2019 | 2 years, 52 days |
| Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women | Bronnie Taylor | National | Berejiklian (2) Perrottet (1) | 2 April 2019 | 21 December 2021 | 3 years, 360 days |
| Minister for Mental Health | Bronnie Taylor | National | Perrottet (2) | 21 December 2021 | 28 March 2023 | 3 years, 360 days |
| Minister for Mental Health | Ryan Park | Labor | Minns | 28 March 2023 | 5 April 2023 | 8 days |
| Minister for Mental Health | Rose Jackson | Labor | Minns | 5 April 2023 | incumbent | 1 year, 187 days |

#### Assistant ministers

| Title | Minister | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Mental Health) | Cherie Burton | Labor | Iemma (1) | 10 August 2005 | 2 April 2007 | 1 year, 235 days |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Mental Health) | Paul Lynch | Labor | Iemma (2) | 2 April 2007 | 5 September 2008 | 1 year, 156 days |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Mental Health) | Barbara Perry | Labor | Rees | 8 September 2008 | 14 September 2009 | 2 years, 201 days |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Mental Health and Cancer) | Barbara Perry | Labor | Rees | 14 September 2009 | 8 December 2009 | 2 years, 201 days |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Mental Health) | Barbara Perry | Labor | Keneally | 8 December 2009 | 28 March 2011 | 2 years, 201 days |

### Regional health

The following individuals have served as Minister for regional health, or any precedent titles:
| Title | Minister | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| Minister for Regional Health | Bronnie Taylor | National | Perrottet (2) | 21 December 2021 | 28 March 2023 | 1 year, 97 days |
| Minister for Health and Regional Health | Ryan Park | Labor | Minns | 28 March 2023 | 5 April 2023 | 1 year, 195 days |
| Minister for Regional Health | Ryan Park | Labor | Minns | 5 April 2023 | incumbent | 1 year, 195 days |

### Medical research

| Title | Minister | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| Minister for Science and Medical Research | Frank Sartor | Labor | Carr (4) Iemma (1) | 2 April 2003 | 2 April 2007 | 4 years, 0 days |
| Minister for Science and Medical Research | Verity Firth | Labor | Iemma (2) | 2 April 2007 | 5 September 2008 | 1 year, 159 days |
| Minister for Science and Medical Research | Tony Stewart | Labor | Rees | 8 September 2008 | 4 November 2008 | 57 days |
| Minister for Science and Medical Research | Jodi McKay | Labor | Rees Keneally | 4 November 2008 | 28 March 2011 | 2 years, 144 days |
| Minister for Medical Research | Jillian Skinner | Liberal | O'Farrell Baird (1) | 3 April 2011 | 2 April 2015 | 3 years, 364 days |
| Minister for Medical Research | Pru Goward | Liberal | Baird (2) | 2 April 2015 | 30 January 2017 | 1 year, 303 days |
| Minister for Medical Research | Brad Hazzard | Liberal | Berejiklian (1) | 30 January 2017 | 23 March 2019 | 4 years, 325 days |
| Minister for Health and Medical Research | Brad Hazzard | Liberal | Berejiklian (2) Perrottet (1) | 2 April 2019 | 21 December 2021 | 4 years, 325 days |
| Minister for Medical Research | David Harris | Labor | Minns | 5 April 2023 | incumbent | 1 year, 187 days |

## Former ministerial titles
### Assistant ministers

| Title | Minister | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| Assistant Minister for Health | Deirdre Grusovin | Labor | Unsworth | 26 November 1987 | 21 March 1988 | 116 days |
| Assistant Minister for Health | Jim Longley | Liberal | Fahey (2) | 3 July 1992 | 26 May 1993 | 327 days |
| Assistant Minister for Health | Jai Rowell | Liberal | Baird (2) | 23 April 2014 | 2 April 2015 | 344 days |
| Assistant Minister for Health | Pru Goward | Liberal | Berejiklian (1) | 2 April 2015 | 30 January 2017 | 1 year, 303 days |

### Hospitals

| Title | Minister | Party | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office | Notes |
| Minister for Hospital Management | Ron Phillips | | Liberal | Greiner (2) | 6 June 1991 | 26 June 1991 | 20 days | |
| Minister for Health Services Management | Ron Phillips | | Liberal | Fahey (1) | 26 June 1991 | 24 June 1992 | 364 days | |

### Cancer

| Title | Minister | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) | Frank Sartor | Labor | Carr (4) Iemma (1) | 2 April 2003 | 2 April 2007 | 4 years, 0 days |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) | Verity Firth | Labor | Iemma (2) | 2 April 2007 | 5 September 2008 | 1 year, 156 days |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) | Tony Stewart | Labor | Rees | 8 September 2008 | 4 November 2008 | 57 days |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) | Jodi McKay | Labor | Rees | 4 November 2008 | 4 December 2009 | 1 year, 30 days |
| Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) | Frank Sartor | Labor | Keneally | 8 December 2009 | 28 March 2011 | 1 year, 110 days |

### Healthy lifestyles

| Title | Minister | Party | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office | Notes |
| Minister for Healthy Lifestyles | Kevin Humphries | | National | O'Farrell | 3 April 2011 | 17 April 2014 | 3 years, 14 days |