The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence (Australia) and the Australian Defence Force.[1] Senator John Faulkner is the current Minister.
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Ministers for Defence
There was a Minister for Defence from 1 January 1901 until 13 November 1939. Robert Menzies, the Prime Minister, abolished the position on the outbreak of World War II and created separate Ministers for the Navy, the Army and the Air, with himself as Minister for Defence Coordination in his first ministry. He retained this position until the fall of his government, and then held the post in the brief government of Arthur Fadden. John Curtin initially followed the same arrangement as Menzies in his ministry until 14 April 1942, when he took the title of Minister for Defence. The separate titles of Ministers for the Navy, the Army and the Air were abolished in the second Whitlam Ministry on 30 November 1973, when the separate departments of Navy, Army and Air were also abolished. There had also been a separate Navy portfolio between 1915 and 1921. Since 1982, from time to time there have been ministers outside cabinet supporting the Minister for Defence. For example, there is currently a Minister for Defence Science and Personnel (Warren Snowdon).
* Minister for Defence Coordination.
Ministers for Air
| Period | Minister | Party affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| 1939–1940 | James Fairbairn | United Australia Party |
| 1940 | Arthur Fadden | |
| 1940–1941 | John McEwen | Country Party |
| 1941–1949 | Arthur Drakeford | Australian Labor Party |
| 1949–1949 | Thomas White | Liberal Party |
| 1951 | Philip McBride | |
| 1951–1954 | William McMahon | |
| 1954–1956 | Athol Townley | |
| 1956–1960 | Frederick Osborne | |
| 1960–1961 | Harrie Wade | |
| 1961–1962 | Les Bury | |
| 1962–1964 | David Fairbairn | |
| 1964–1968 | Peter Howson | |
| 1968–1969 | Gordon Freeth | |
| 1969 | Dudley Erwin | |
| 1969–1972 | Thomas Drake-Brockman | |
| 1972–1973 | Lance Barnard | Australian Labor Party |
Ministers for the Army
| Period | Minister | Party affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| 1939–1940 | Geoffrey Street | United Australia Party |
| 1940 | Philip McBride | |
| 1940–1941 | Percy Spender | |
| 1941–1946 | Frank Forde | Australian Labor Party |
| 1946–1949 | Cyril Chambers | |
| 1949–1955 | Josiah Francis | Liberal Party |
| 1955–1956 | Eric Harrison | |
| 1956–1963 | John Cramer | |
| 1963–1966 | Jim Forbes | |
| 1966–1968 | Malcolm Fraser | |
| 1968–1969 | Phillip Lynch | |
| 1969–1972 | Andrew Peacock | |
| 1972 | Bob Katter | Country Party |
| 1972–1973 | Lance Barnard | Australian Labor Party |
| Period | Minister | Party affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| 1915–1916 | Jens Jensen | Australian Labor Party |
| 1916–1917 | Jens Jensen | National Labor Party |
| 1917–1920 | Joseph Cook | Nationalist Party of Australia |
| 1920–1921 | William Laird Smith | |
| 1939–1940 | Frederick Stewart | United Australia Party |
| 1940 | Archie Cameron | |
| 1940–1941 | Billy Hughes | |
| 1941–1946 | Norman Makin | Australian Labor Party |
| 1946 | Arthur Drakeford | |
| 1946–1949 | Bill Riordan | |
| 1949–1951 | Josiah Francis | Liberal Party |
| 1951 | Philip McBride | |
| 1951–1954 | William McMahon | |
| 1954–1955 | Josiah Francis | |
| 1955–1956 | Eric Harrison | |
| 1956 | Neil O'Sullivan | |
| 1956–1958 | Charles Davidson | |
| 1958–1963 | John Gorton | |
| 1963–1964 | James Forbes | |
| 1964–1966 | Fred Chaney | |
| 1966–1968 | Don Chipp | |
| 1968–1969 | Bert Kelly | |
| 1969–1971 | James Killen | |
| 1971–1972 | Malcolm Mackay | |
| 1972–1973 | Lance Barnard | Australian Labor Party |
Ministers for Supply
| Minister | Party affiliation | Period | Ministerial Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Casey | United Australia Party | 1939–1940 | Minister for Supply and Development |
| Frederick Stewart | 1940 | ||
| Philip McBride | 1940–1941 | ||
| George McLeay | 1941 | ||
| Jack Beasley | Australian Labor Party | 1941–1942 | |
| 1942–1945 | Minister for Supply and Shipping | ||
| William Ashley | 1945–1948 | ||
| John Armstrong | 1948–1949 | Minister for Supply and Development | |
| Richard Casey | Liberal Party | 1949–1950 | |
| Howard Beale | 1950–1958 | Minister for Supply | |
| Athol Townley | 1958 | ||
| Alan Hulme | 1958–1961 | ||
| Allen Fairhall | 1961–1966 | ||
| Denham Henty | 1966–1968 | ||
| Kenneth Anderson | 1968–1971 | ||
| Victor Garland | 1971–1972 | ||
| Lance Barnard | Australian Labor Party | 1972–1973 | |
| Kep Enderby | 1973–1974 |
Ministers for Munitions
| Minister | Party affiliation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Menzies | United Australia Party | 1940 |
| Philip McBride | 1940–1941 | |
| Norman Makin | Australian Labor Party | 1941–1946 |
| John Dedman | 1946 | |
| John Armstrong | 1946–1948 |
Ministers for Defence Production
| Minister | Party affiliation | Period | Ministerial Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Leckie | United Australia Party | 1941 | Minister for Aircraft Production |
| Donald Cameron | Australian Labor Party | 1941–1945 | |
| Norman Makin | 1945–1946 | ||
| John Dedman | 1946 | ||
| Eric Harrison | Liberal Party | 1951–1956 | Minister for Defence Production |
| Howard Beale | 1956–1958 | ||
| Athol Townley | 1958 |
References and notes
- ^ Refer to Australian Defence Organisation, Department of Defence (Australia) and Australian Defence Force for more information.
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