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Minister for Social Services

Australian cabinet position

Australian cabinet position

FieldValue
postMinister for Social Services
insigniaCoat_of_Arms_of_Australia.svg
insigniacaptionCommonwealth Coat of Arms
flagFlag of Australia (converted).svg
flagcaptionFlag of Australia
flagborderyes
incumbentTanya Plibersek
imageTanya Plibersek.png
incumbentsince
styleThe Honourable
appointerGovernor-General
appointer_qualifiedon the advice of the prime minister
inauguralFrederick Stewart (as Minister for Social Services)
formation
departmentDepartment of Social Services
website

The Minister for Social Services is an Australian Government cabinet position which is currently held by Tanya Plibersek following her swearing-in on 13 May 2025 as a result of Anthony Albanese's Labor government being re-elected at the 2025 Australian federal election. The portfolio oversees social services, including mental health, families and children's policy, and support for carers and people with disabilities, and seniors.

Portfolio

In the Government of Australia, the Ministers administer the portfolio through the Department of Social Services. Other portfolio bodies for which the Ministers are responsible include:

  • Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency
  • Australian Institute of Family Studies
  • Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Homelessness
  • Community and Disability Services Ministers' Conference
  • Community Services Ministers' Advisory Council
  • Emergency Relief State Advisory Committees
  • National Childcare Accreditation Council Inc.
  • National Disability Advisory Council
  • National Disability Insurance Agency
  • National Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) Coordination and Development Committee (CAD) representatives and Information Sub-committee
  • Social Security Appeals Tribunal

List of ministers for social services

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Social Services, or any of its precedent titles:

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1Frederick StewartUAP}}United AustraliaMenziesMinister for Social Services26 April 193929 August 1941
Fadden29 August 19417 October 1941
2Jack HollowayLabor}}LaborCurtin7 October 194121 September 1943
3James Fraser21 September 19436 July 1945
Forde6 July 193413 July 1945
Chifley13 July 194518 June 1946
4Nick McKenna18 June 194619 December 1949
5Bill SpoonerLiberal}}LiberalMenzies19 December 194911 May 1951
6Athol Townley11 May 19519 July 1954
7William McMahon9 July 195428 February 1956
8Hugh RobertonCountry28 February 195621 January 1965****
9Reginald SwartzLiberal21 January 196522 February 1965days
10Ian SinclairNational}}Country22 February 196526 January 1966
Holt26 January 196619 December 1967
McEwen19 December 196710 January 1968
Gorton10 January 196828 February 1968
11Bill WentworthLiberal}}Liberal28 February 196810 March 1971
McMahon10 March 19715 December 1972
12Lance BarnardLaborWhitlam5 December 197219 December 1972days
13Don GrimesLaborHawkeMinister for Community Services
14Chris Hurforddays
15Neal BlewettMinister for Community Services and Health
16Brian Howe
Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services
Keating
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Community Services
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Human Services
17Carmen LawrenceMinister for Human Services and Health
18Michael WooldridgeLiberalHowardMinister for Health and Family Services
19Jocelyn NewmanMinister for Family and Community Services
20Amanda Vanstone
21Kay Patterson
22Mal BroughMinister for Families and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
23Jenny MacklinLaborRuddMinister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Gillard
Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Rudd
24Kevin AndrewsLiberalAbbottMinister for Social Services
25Scott Morrison15 September 2015
Turnbull21 September 2015
26Christian Porter20 December 2017
27Dan Tehan28 August 2018
28Paul FletcherMorrisonMinister for Families and Social Services
29Anne Ruston
30Amanda RishworthLabor}}LaborAlbaneseMinister for Social Services
31Tanya PlibersekIncumbent

Assistant ministers

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Social Services, or any precedent titles:

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1Concetta Fierravanti-WellsLiberalAbbottParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Services
2Alan TudgeTurnbullAssistant Minister for Social Services
3Zed SeseljaLiberalTurnbullAssistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs
4David GillespieNationalAssistant Minister for Children and Families
5Michelle LandryMorrison****
6Justine ElliotLabor}}LaborAlbaneseAssistant Minister for Social Services
Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence
7Ged KearneyIncumbent

Former portfolio ministers

List of ministers for family services

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1Peter StaplesLabor}}LaborHawkeMinister for Aged, Family and Health Services
Keating
2Rosemary CrowleyMinister for Family Services
3Michael WooldridgeLiberalHowardMinister for Health and Family Services
4Jocelyn NewmanMinister for Family and Community Services
5Amanda Vanstone
6Kay Patterson
7Mal BroughMinister for Families and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
8Jenny MacklinLaborRuddMinister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Gillard
Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Rudd

List of ministers for community services

A separate outer ministry role of the Minister for Community Services existed between January 2006 and December 2007, supplementing the cabinet role of the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1Don GrimesLaborHawkeMinister for Community Services
2Chris Hurforddays
3Neal BlewettMinister for Community Services and Health
4Brian Howe
Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services
Keating
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Community Services
5Jocelyn NewmanLiberalHowardMinister for Family and Community Services
6Amanda Vanstone
7Kay Patterson
8John CobbNationalMinister for Community Services
9Nigel Scullion
10Jenny MacklinLabor}}LaborRuddMinister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Gillard
11Julie CollinsLabor}}Minister for Community Services
Rudd
12Mitch FifieldLiberalAbbottAssistant Minister for Social Services15 September 2015
Turnbull21 September 2015

References

References

  1. "Ministers". [[Government of Australia]].
  2. (2017). "The 45th Parliament: Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia 2017". [[Parliament of Australia]].
  3. (7 February 2006). "Ministerial Arrangements - House Hansard".
  4. (6 February 2007). "Ministerial Arrangements - House Hansard".
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