The current Minister for Aboriginal Affairs is Peter Collier of the Liberal Party, who holds the position as a member of the Barnett Ministry. The minister, who has generally held other portfolios, is responsible for the state government's Department of Aboriginal Affairs (DAA), which exists "to facilitate the development of policy and programs which deliver sustainable economic, environmental and social benefits to Aboriginal communities".[1]
Twenty people have been appointed as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in Western Australia, with Edgar Lewis's 8 years and 325 days during the Brand–Nalder Ministry the longest period in the position. The position and corresponding department have existed under several different names, including Native Affairs (4 years), Native Welfare (19 years), Aboriginal Affairs (23 years), and Indigenous Affairs (12 years).[2] The current name was adopted after requests from representatives of Western Australia's Aboriginal communities.[1]
In the table below, members of the Legislative Council are designated "MLC". All others were members of the Legislative Assembly at the time of their service. In Western Australia, serving ministers are entitled to be styled "The Honourable", and may retain the style after three years' service in the ministry.[3]
| Order | Minister | Party | Premier | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office |
|---|
| 1 | Ross McDonald | Liberal}}| | Liberal | McLarty | Minister for Native Affairs | {{start date|1947|4|1|df=y}} | {{end date|1948|1|5|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1947|4|1|1949|10|7}} |
| Liberal}}| | Minister for Native Welfare | {{start date|1948|1|5|df=y}} | {{end date|1949|10|7|df=y}} |
| 2 | Hubert Parker MLC | Liberal}}| | Minister for Native Affairs | {{start date|1949|10|7|df=y}} | {{end date|1950|4|6|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1949|10|7|1950|4|6}} |
| 3 | Victor Doney | Country}}| | Country | {{start date|1950|4|6|df=y}} | {{end date|1953|2|23|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1950|4|6|1953|2|23}} |
| 4 | Bill Hegney | Labor}}| | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Native Welfare | {{start date|1953|2|23|df=y}} | {{end date|1956|4|20|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1953|2|23|1956|4|20}} |
| 5 | John Brady | Labor}}| | {{start date|1956|4|20|df=y}} | {{end date|1959|4|2|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1956|4|20|1959|4|2}} |
| 6 | Charles Perkins | Country}}| | Country | Brand | {{start date|1959|4|2|df=y}} | {{end date|1961|11|16|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1959|4|2|1961|11|16}} |
| 7 | George Cornell | Country}}| | {{start date|1961|11|16|df=y}} | {{end date|1962|4|11|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1961|11|16|1962|4|11}} |
| 8 | Edgar Lewis | Country}}| | {{start date|1962|4|12|df=y}} | {{end date|1971|3|3|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1962|4|12|1971|3|3}} |
| No minister – portfolio transferred to Minister for Community Welfare (1971–1983). |
|---|
| 9 | Keith Wilson | Labor}}| | Labor | Burke | Minister with special responsibility for Aboriginal Affairs | {{start date|1983|2|25|df=y}} | {{end date|1986|2|26|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1983|2|25|1986|7|25}} |
| Labor}}| | Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | {{start date|1986|2|26|df=y}} | {{end date|1986|7|25|df=y}} |
| 10 | Ernie Bridge | Labor}}| | {{start date|1986|7|25|df=y}} | {{end date|1988|2|25|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1986|7|25|1989|2|28}} |
| Labor}}| | Dowding | {{start date|1988|2|25|df=y}} | {{end date|1989|2|28|df=y}} |
| 11 | Carmen Lawrence | Labor}}| | {{start date|1989|2|28|df=y}} | {{end date|1990|2|12|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1989|2|28|1991|2|5}} |
| Labor}}| | Lawrence | {{start date|1990|2|12|df=y}} | {{end date|1991|2|5|df=y}} |
| 12 | Judyth Watson | Labor}}| | {{start date|1991|2|5|df=y}} | {{end date|1993|2|16|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1991|2|5|1993|2|16}} |
| 13 | Kevin Minson | Liberal}}| | Liberal | Court | {{start date|1993|2|16|df=y}} | {{end date|1994|1|25|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1993|2|16|1994|1|25}} |
| 14 | Kevin Prince | Liberal}}| | {{start date|1994|1|25|df=y}} | {{end date|1997|1|9|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|1994|1|25|1997|1|9}} |
| 15 | Kim Hames | Liberal}}| | {{start date|1997|1|9|df=y}} | {{end date|2001|2|16|df=y}} | see below |
| 16 | Alan Carpenter | Labor}}| | Labor | Gallop | Minister for Indigenous Affairs | {{start date|2001|2|16|df=y}} | {{end date|2003|6|27|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|2001|2|16|2003|6|27}} |
| 17 | John Kobelke | Labor}}| | {{start date|2003|6|27|df=y}} | {{end date|2006|1|25|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|2003|6|27|2006|2|3}} |
| Labor}}| | Carpenter | {{start date|2006|1|25|df=y}} | {{end date|2006|2|3|df=y}} |
| 18 | Sheila McHale | Labor}}| | {{start date|2006|2|3|df=y}} | {{end date|2007|3|2|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|2006|2|3|2007|3|2}} |
| 19 | Michelle Roberts | Labor}}| | {{start date|2007|3|2|df=y}} | {{end date|2008|9|23|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|2007|3|2|2008|9|23}} |
| (15) | Kim Hames | Liberal}}| | Liberal | Barnett | {{start date|2008|9|23|df=y}} | {{end date|2010|12|14|df=y}} | 6 years,
120 days |
| 20 | Peter Collier MLC | Liberal}}| | {{start date|2010|12|14|df=y}} | {{end date|2013|3|21|df=y}} | {{age in years and days|2010|12|14}} |
| Liberal}}| | Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | {{start date|2013|3|21|df=y}} | {{Today (dmy)}} |
1. ^1 Department of Aboriginal Affairs – Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
2. ^Aboriginal / Indigenous Affairs Ministers of Western Australia – Parliamentary Library of Western Australia. Last updated 29 June 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
3. ^Addressing a Member of Parliament – Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
{{Western Australian ministerial portfolios}}