Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
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The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations is an Australian Government cabinet position which is currently held by Amanda Rishworth 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.
In the Government of Australia, the minister administers this portfolio through the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
Portfolio scope
Other bodies in these portfolios include,:
- Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency
- Australian Building and Construction Commission (abolished in 2023)
- Comcare
- Fair Work Commission
- Fair Work Ombudsman
- Registered Organisations Commission
- Safe Work Australia
- Workplace Gender Equality Agency
List of ministers for employment
The following individuals have been appointed as the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, or any of its precedent titles:
| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harold Holt | United Australia | Menzies | Minister for Labour and National Service | 28October1940(1940-10-28) | 29August1941(1941-08-29) | 344 days | |
| Fadden | 29August1941(1941-08-29) | 7October1941(1941-10-07) | ||||||
| 2 | Eddie Ward | Labor | Curtin | 7October1941(1941-10-07) | 21September1943(1943-09-21) | 1year, 349days | ||
| 3 | Jack Holloway | 21September1943(1943-09-21) | 6July1945(1945-07-06) | 6years, 89days | ||||
| Forde | 6July1945(1945-07-06) | 13July1945(1945-07-13) | ||||||
| Chifley | 13July1945(1945-07-13) | 19December1949(1949-12-19) | ||||||
| (1) | Harold Holt | Liberal | Menzies | 19December1949(1949-12-19) | 10December1958(1958-12-10) | 8years, 356days | ||
| 4 | William McMahon | 10December1958(1958-12-10) | 26January1966(1966-01-26) | 7years, 47days | ||||
| 5 | Les Bury | Holt | 26January1966(1966-01-26) | 19December1967(1967-12-19) | 3years, 290days | |||
| McEwen | 19December1967(1967-12-19) | 10January1968(1968-01-10) | ||||||
| Gorton | 10January1968(1968-01-10) | 12November1969(1969-11-12) | ||||||
| 6 | Billy Snedden | 12November1969(1969-11-12) | 10March1971(1971-03-10) | 1year, 130days | ||||
| McMahon | 10March1971(1971-03-10) | 22March1971(1971-03-22) | ||||||
| 7 | Phillip Lynch | 22March1971(1971-03-22) | 5December1972(1972-12-05) | 1year, 258days | ||||
| 8 | Lance Barnard1 | Labor | Whitlam | 5December1972(1972-12-05) | 19December1972(1972-12-19) | 14 days | ||
| 9 | Clyde Cameron | Minister for Labour | 19December1972(1972-12-19) | 12June1974(1974-06-12) | 2years, 169days | |||
| Minister for Labour and Immigration | 12June1974(1974-06-12) | 6June1975(1975-06-06) | ||||||
| 10 | Jim McClelland | 6June1975(1975-06-06) | 11November1975(1975-11-11) | 158 days | ||||
| 11 | Tony Street | Liberal | Fraser | 11November1975(1975-11-11) | 22December1975(1975-12-22) | 3years, 24days | ||
| Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations | 22December1975(1975-12-22) | 5December1978(1978-12-05) | ||||||
| 12 | Ian Viner | Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs | 5December1978(1978-12-05) | 6April1981(1981-04-06) | 2years, 122days | |||
| 13 | Neil Brown | 6April1981(1981-04-06) | 7May1982(1982-05-07) | 1year, 31days | ||||
| 14 | Ian Macphee | Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations | 7May1982(1982-05-07) | 11March1983(1983-03-11) | 308 days | |||
| 15 | Ralph Willis | Labor | Hawke | 11March1983(1983-03-11) | 24July1987(1987-07-24) | 4years, 135days | ||
| 16 | John Dawkins | Minister for Employment, Education and Training | 24July1987(1987-07-24) | 20December1991(1991-12-20) | 4years, 156days | |||
| Keating | 20December1991(1991-12-20) | 27December1991(1991-12-27) | ||||||
| 17 | Kim Beazley | 27December1991(1991-12-27) | 23December1993(1993-12-23) | 1year, 361days | ||||
| 18 | Simon Crean | 23December1993(1993-12-23) | 11March1996(1996-03-11) | 2years, 79days | ||||
| 19 | Amanda Vanstone | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs | 11March1996(1996-03-11) | 9October1997(1997-10-09) | 1year, 212days | |
| 20 | David Kemp | 9October1997(1997-10-09) | 21October1998(1998-10-21) | 1year, 12days | ||||
| 21 | Peter Reith | Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business | 21October1998(1998-10-21) | 30January2001(2001-01-30) | 2years, 101days | |||
| 22 | Tony Abbott | 30January2001(2001-01-30) | 26November2001(2001-11-26) | 2years, 250days | ||||
| Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations | 26November2001(2001-11-26) | 7October2003(2003-10-07) | ||||||
| 23 | Kevin Andrews | 7October2003(2003-10-07) | 30January2007(2007-01-30) | 3years, 115days | ||||
| 24 | Joe Hockey | 30January2007(2007-01-30) | 3December2007(2007-12-03) | 307 days | ||||
| 25 | Julia Gillard | Labor | Rudd | 3December2007(2007-12-03) | 24 June 2010 | 2years, 207days | ||
| Gillard | 24 June 2010 | 28 June 2010 | ||||||
| (18) | Simon Crean | 28June2010(2010-06-28) | 14September2010(2010-09-14) | 78 days | ||||
| 26 | Chris Evans | Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations | 14September2010(2010-09-14) | 14December2011(2011-12-14) | 1year, 91days | |||
| 27 | Bill Shorten | Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations | 14December2011(2011-12-14) | 1July2013(2013-07-01) | 1year, 199days | |||
| 28 | Brendan O'Connor | Rudd | Minister for Employment Minister for Skills and Training | 1July2013(2013-07-01) | 18September2013(2013-09-18) | 79 days | ||
| 29 | Eric Abetz | Liberal | Abbott | Minister for Employment | 18September2013(2013-09-18) | 15September2015(2015-09-15) | 2years, 3days | |
| Turnbull | 15September2015(2015-09-15) | 21September2015(2015-09-21) | ||||||
| 30 | Michaelia Cash | 21September2015(2015-09-21) | 20December2017(2017-12-20) | 2years, 341days | ||||
| Minister for Jobs and Innovation | 20December2017(2017-12-20) | 28August2018(2018-08-28) | ||||||
| 31 | Kelly O'Dwyer | Morrison | Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations | 28August2018(2018-08-28) | 11April2019(2019-04-11) | 226days | ||
| (30) | Michaelia Cash | Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business | 29May2019(2019-05-29) | 30March2021(2021-03-30) | 1year, 305days | |||
| 32 | Stuart Robert | Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business | 30March2021(2021-03-30) | 23May2022(2022-05-23) | 1year, 54days | |||
| 33 | Richard Marles | Labor | Albanese | Minister for Employment | 23May2022(2022-05-23) | 1June2022(2022-06-01) | 9days | |
| 34 | Tony Burke | Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations | 1June2022(2022-06-01) | 29July2024(2024-07-29) | 2years, 58days | |||
| 35 | Murray Watt | 29July2024(2024-07-29) | 13May2025(2025-05-13) | 288days | ||||
| 36 | Amanda Rishworth | 13May2025(2025-05-13) | Incumbent | 1year, 76days |
Notes
1 Barnard was part of a two-man ministry that comprised Barnard and Gough Whitlam for fourteen days until the full ministry was commissioned.
2 Despite the First Rudd ministry ending on 24 June 2010, Gillard was Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations for four days in her first ministry, between 24 June and 28 June 2010, when the revised ministry was commissioned.
List of ministers for Workplace Relations
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Workplace Relations, or any of its subsequent titles:
| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tony Street | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations | 22December1975(1975-12-22) | 5December1978(1978-12-05) | 4years, 358days | |
| Minister for Industrial Relations | 5December1978(1978-12-05) | 3November1980(1980-11-03) | ||||||
| 2 | Andrew Peacock | 3November1980(1980-11-03) | 16April1981(1981-04-16) | 164 days | ||||
| 3 | Ian Viner | 16April1981(1981-04-16) | 7May1982(1982-05-07) | 1year, 21days | ||||
| 4 | Ian Macphee | Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations | 7May1982(1982-05-07) | 11March1983(1983-03-11) | 308 days | |||
| 5 | Ralph Willis | Labor | Hawke | 11March1983(1983-03-11) | 24July1987(1987-07-24) | 5years, 175days | ||
| Minister for Industrial Relations | 24July1987(1987-07-24) | 2September1988(1988-09-02) | ||||||
| 6 | Peter Morris | 2September1988(1988-09-02) | 4April1990(1990-04-04) | 1year, 214days | ||||
| 7 | Peter Cook | 4April1990(1990-04-04) | 20December1991(1991-12-20) | 2years, 354days | ||||
| Keating | 20December1991(1991-12-20) | 24March1993(1993-03-24) | ||||||
| 8 | Laurie Brereton | 24March1993(1993-03-24) | 11March1996(1996-03-11) | 2years, 353days | ||||
| 9 | Peter Reith | Liberal | Howard | 11March1996(1996-03-11) | 18July1997(1997-07-18) | 4years, 325days | ||
| Minister for Workplace Relations and Small Business | 18July1997(1997-07-18) | 21October1998(1998-10-21) | ||||||
| Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business | 21October1998(1998-10-21) | 30January2001(2001-01-30) | ||||||
| 10 | Tony Abbott | 30January2001(2001-01-30) | 26November2001(2001-11-26) | 2years, 250days | ||||
| Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations | 26November2001(2001-11-26) | 7October2003(2003-10-07) | ||||||
| 11 | Kevin Andrews | 7October2003(2003-10-07) | 30January2007(2007-01-30) | 3years, 115days | ||||
| 12 | Joe Hockey | 30January2007(2007-01-30) | 3December2007(2007-12-03) | 307 days | ||||
| 13 | Julia Gillard | Labor | Rudd | 3December2007(2007-12-03) | 24 June 2010 | 2years, 207days | ||
| Gillard | 24 June 2010 | 28 June 2010 | ||||||
| 14 | Simon Crean | 28June2010(2010-06-28) | 14September2010(2010-09-14) | 78 days | ||||
| 15 | Chris Evans | Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations | 14September2010(2010-09-14) | 14December2011(2011-12-14) | 1year, 91days | |||
| 16 | Bill Shorten | Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations | 14December2011(2011-12-14) | 1July2013(2013-07-01) | 1year, 278days | |||
| Rudd | Minister for Workplace Relations | 1July2013(2013-07-01) | 18September2013(2013-09-18) | |||||
| 17 | Kelly O'Dwyer | Liberal | Morrison | Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations | 28August2018(2018-08-28) | 11April2019(2019-04-11) | 226days | |
| 18 | Christian Porter | Minister for Industrial Relations | 29May2019(2019-05-29) | 30March2021(2021-03-30) | 1year, 305days | |||
| 19 | Michaelia Cash | 30March2021(2021-03-30) | 23May2022(2022-05-23) | 1year, 54days | ||||
| 20 | Tony Burke | Labor | Albanese | Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations | 1June2022(2022-06-01) | 29July2024(2024-07-29) | 2years, 58days | |
| 21 | Murray Watt | 29July2024(2024-07-29) | 13May2025(2025-05-13) | 288days | ||||
| 22 | Amanda Rishworth | 13May2025(2025-05-13) | Incumbent | 1year, 76days |
Former ministerial titles
List of ministers for employment participation
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Employment Participation, or any of its precedent titles:
| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clyde Holding | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Employment Services and Youth Affairs | 24July1987(1987-07-24) | 19January1988(1988-01-19) | 179 days | |
| 2 | Peter Duncan | Minister for Employment and Education Services | 19January1988(1988-01-19) | 4April1990(1990-04-04) | 2years, 75days | |||
| 3 | Peter Baldwin | 4April1990(1990-04-04) | 7May1990(1990-05-07) | 2years, 354days | ||||
| Keating | Minister for Higher Education and Employment Services | 7May1990(1990-05-07) | 20December1991(1991-12-20) | |||||
| 20December1991(1991-12-20) | 24March1993(1993-03-24) | |||||||
| 4 | Tony Abbott | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Employment Services | 21October1998(1998-10-21) | 30January2001(2001-01-30) | 2years, 101days | |
| 5 | Mal Brough | 14February2001(2001-02-14) | 18July2004(2004-07-18) | 3years, 155days | ||||
| 6 | Fran Bailey | 18July2004(2004-07-18) | 26October2004(2004-10-26) | 100 days | ||||
| 7 | Peter Dutton | Minister for Workforce Participation | 26October2004(2004-10-26) | 27January2006(2006-01-27) | 1year, 93days | |||
| 8 | Sharman Stone | 27January2006(2006-01-27) | 3December2007(2007-12-03) | 1year, 310days | ||||
| 9 | Brendan O'Connor | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Employment Participation | 3December2007(2007-12-03) | 9June2009(2009-06-09) | 1year, 188days | |
| 10 | Mark Arbib | 9June2009(2009-06-09) | 28June2010(2010-06-28) | 1year, 97days | ||||
| Gillard | 28June2010(2010-06-28) | 14September2010(2010-09-14) | ||||||
| 11 | Kate Ellis | Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare | 14September2010(2010-09-14) | 14December2011(2011-12-14) | 3years, 4days | |||
| Minister for Employment Participation | 14December2011(2011-12-14) | 1July2013(2013-07-01) | ||||||
| Rudd | 1July2013(2013-07-01) | 18September2013(2013-09-18) | ||||||
| 12 | Luke Hartsuyker | Nationals | Abbott | Assistant Minister for Employment | 18September2013(2013-09-18) | 15September2015(2015-09-15) | 2years, 3days | |
| Turnbull | 15September2015(2015-09-15) | 21September2015(2015-09-21) |
List of assistant ministers
The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, or any of its precedent titles:
| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zed Seselja | Liberal | Turnbull | Assistant Minister for Science, Jobs and Innovation | 20December2017(2017-12-20) | 23August2018(2018-08-23) | 246days | |
| 2 | Andrew Leigh | Labor | Albanese | Assistant Minister for Employment | 31May2023(2023-05-31) | 13May2025(2025-05-13) | 1year, 347days | |
| 3 | Patrick Gorman | Assistant Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations | 13May2025(2025-05-13) | Incumbent | 1year, 76days |