Minister for Health and Ageing (Australia)
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The Minister for Health and Ageing is a portfolio in the Government of Australia with the responsibility for national health policy. The current Minister for Health and Ageing is Nicola Roxon. The ministry is administered through the Department of Health and Ageing.[1]
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[edit] History
Under Section 51(ix) of the Australian Constitution, the Commonwealth Parliament had the power to "make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to Quarantine." This was the only area of public health in which the Commonwealth had authority at the time of Federation. The federal parliament did not use this power until the proclamation of the Quarantine Act 1908. The control of the administration of quarantine was under the administration of the Minister for Trade and Customs from 1908 until 1921. This Minister's responsibilities in health matters increased as the Australian Government took a greater role in the provision of public health services during the early 20th century, in particular after the First World War.
A separate Department of Health was established on 10 March 1921, and the position of Minister for Health was then formally created. The role of the Department of Health has continued to expand and further federal responsibility for health was authorised by the passage, at referendum, of a constitutional amendment in 1946.
Section 51 (xxiiiA) of the Constitution now states the Commonwealth (federal) Parliament has the power to
make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth [of Australia] with respect to the provision of maternity allowances, widows' pensions, child endowment, unemployment, pharmaceutical, sickness and hospital benefits, medical and dental services (but not so as to authorise any form of civil conscription), benefits to students and family allowances.
As a result of this amendment the federal government now has a key role in financing and providing medical services through entities such as Medicare, Medibank and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
[edit] Australian Ministers for Health
| Minister | Party affiliation | Period | Ministerial Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Best | Commonwealth Liberal Party | 1908–1910 | Minister for Trade and Customs |
| Frank Tudor | Australian Labor Party | 1910–1913 | |
| Littleton Groom | Commonwealth Liberal Party | 1913–1914 | |
| Frank Tudor | Australian Labor Party | 1914–1916 | |
| Billy Hughes | 1916–1916 | ||
| William Archibald | National Labor Party | 1916–1917 | |
| Jens Jensen | Nationalist | 1917–1918 | |
| William Watt | 1918–1919 | ||
| Walter Massy-Greene | 1919–1921 | ||
| 1921–1923 | Minister for Health | ||
| Austin Chapman | 1923–1924 | ||
| Herbert Pratten | 1924–1925 | ||
| Sir Neville Howse | 1925–1927 | ||
| Stanley Bruce | 1927–1928 | ||
| Sir Neville Howse | 1928–1929 | ||
| Frank Anstey | Australian Labor Party | 1929–1931 | |
| John McNeill | 1931–1932 | ||
| Charles Marr | United Australia Party | 1932–1934 | |
| Billy Hughes | 1934–1935 | ||
| Joseph Lyons | 1935–1936 | ||
| Billy Hughes | 1936–1937 | ||
| Earle Page | Country Party | 1937–1938 | |
| Harry Foll | United Australia Party | 1938–1939 | |
| Sir Frederick Stewart | 1939–1940 | ||
| Harold Thorby | Country Party | 1940 | |
| Sir Frederick Stewart | United Australia Party | 1940–1941 | |
| Ted Holloway | Australian Labor Party | 1941–1943 | |
| James Fraser | 1943–1946 | ||
| Nicholas McKenna | 1946–1949 | ||
| Earle Page | Country Party | 1949–1956 | |
| Donald Cameron | Liberal Party | 1956–1961 | |
| Harrie Wade | Country Party | 1961–1964 | |
| Reginald Swartz | Liberal Party | 1964–1966 | |
| Jim Forbes | 1966–1971 | ||
| Ivor Greenwood | 1971 | ||
| Kenneth Anderson | 1971–1972 | ||
| Lance Barnard | Australian Labor Party | 1972 | |
| Doug Everingham | 1972–1975 | ||
| Don Chipp | Liberal Party | 1975 | |
| Ralph Hunt | National Country Party | 1975–1979 | |
| Michael MacKellar | Liberal Party | 1979–1982 | |
| Peter Baume | 1983 | ||
| Jim Carlton | 1982–1983 | ||
| Neal Blewett | Australian Labor Party | 1983–1987 | |
| 1987–1990 | Minister for Community Services and Health | ||
| Brian Howe | 1990–1991 | ||
| 1990–1991 | Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services | ||
| Graham Richardson | 1993–1994 | Minister for Health | |
| Carmen Lawrence | 1994–1996 | Minister for Human Services and Health | |
| Michael Wooldridge | Liberal Party | 1996–1998 | Minister for Health and Family Services |
| 1998–2001 | Minister for Health and Aged Care | ||
| Kay Patterson | 2001–2003 | Minister for Health and Ageing | |
| Tony Abbott | 2003–2007 | ||
| Nicola Roxon | Australian Labor Party | 2007– | Minister for Health |
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Rudd Ministry" (PDF). Government of Australia. http://www.pmc.gov.au/parliamentary/docs/ministry_list_feb_2008.pdf. Retrieved 2008-02-13.
