Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
# Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs

The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs is a ministerial post of the Australian Government and is currently held by Andrew Giles, pending the swearing in of the full Albanese ministry on 1 June 2022, following the Australian federal election in 2022.

The post was created in 1945 and its inaugural officeholder was Arthur Calwell as the Minister for Immigration. On 20 December 2017, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced a new major portfolio responsible for national security: Home Affairs. The Hon Peter Dutton MP retained the duties of Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, with additional responsibilities awarded as the Minister for Home Affairs. Following the appointment of Prime Minister Scott Morrison in August 2018, Morrison re-appointed Peter Dutton to the Home Affairs Ministry, previously introduced to the 'super-Ministry' under the Turnbull government in December 2017, and appointed David Coleman as Immigration Minister.

## Scope

The portfolio and department were created in July 1945, during the last months of World War II. Previously, immigration affairs were handled by the Minister for Home Affairs (1901–1932) and the Minister for the Interior (1932–1945), except that between January 1925 and January 1928 Victor Wilson and Thomas Paterson were Ministers for Markets and Migration.

The Minister for Immigration, Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship was usually one of the senior members of Cabinet, although between the Tenth Menzies Ministry and the Third Fraser Ministry, the post was downgraded to that of a junior minister. The minister and department have on several occasions been responsible for another portfolio in addition to immigration, such as ethnic/multicultural affairs, local government or border protection.

## List of ministers for immigration

The following individuals have held responsibility for immigration:

| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Arthur Calwell | Labor | Chifley | Minister for Immigration | 13 July 1945 (1945-07-13) | 19 December 1949 (1949-12-19) | 4 years, 159 days |
| 2 | Harold Holt | Liberal | Menzies | Minister for Immigration | 19 December 1949 (1949-12-19) | 24 October 1956 (1956-10-24) | 6 years, 310 days |
| 3 | Athol Townley | Liberal | Menzies | Minister for Immigration | 24 October 1956 (1956-10-24) | 19 March 1958 (1958-03-19) | 1 year, 146 days |
| 4 | Alick Downer | Liberal | Menzies | Minister for Immigration | 19 March 1958 (1958-03-19) | 18 December 1963 (1963-12-18) | 5 years, 274 days |
| 5 | Hubert Opperman | Liberal | Menzies | Minister for Immigration | 18 December 1963 (1963-12-18) | 26 January 1966 (1966-01-26) | 2 years, 361 days |
| 5 | Hubert Opperman | Liberal | Holt | Minister for Immigration | 26 January 1966 (1966-01-26) | 14 December 1966 (1966-12-14) | 2 years, 361 days |
| 6 | Billy Snedden | Liberal | Holt | Minister for Immigration | 14 December 1966 (1966-12-14) | 19 December 1967 (1967-12-19) | 2 years, 333 days |
| 6 | Billy Snedden | Liberal | McEwen | Minister for Immigration | 19 December 1967 (1967-12-19) | 10 January 1968 (1968-01-10) | 2 years, 333 days |
| 6 | Billy Snedden | Liberal | Gorton | Minister for Immigration | 10 January 1968 (1968-01-10) | 12 November 1969 (1969-11-12) | 2 years, 333 days |
| 7 | Phillip Lynch | Liberal | McMahon | Minister for Immigration | 12 November 1969 (1969-11-12) | 22 March 1971 (1971-03-22) | 1 year, 130 days |
| 8 | Jim Forbes | Liberal | McMahon | Minister for Immigration | 22 March 1971 (1971-03-22) | 5 December 1972 (1972-12-05) | 1 year, 258 days |
| 9 | Lance Barnard | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Immigration | 5 December 1972 (1972-12-05) | 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) | 14 days |
| 10 | Al Grassby | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Immigration | 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) | 12 June 1974 (1974-06-12) | 1 year, 175 days |
| 11 | Clyde Cameron | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Labour and Immigration | 12 June 1974 (1974-06-12) | 6 June 1975 (1975-06-06) | 359 days |
| 12 | Jim McClelland | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Labour and Immigration | 6 June 1975 (1975-06-06) | 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) | 158 days |
| 13 | Tony Street | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Labour and Immigration | 12 November 1975 (1975-11-12) | 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) | 40 days |
| 14 | Michael MacKellar | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs | 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) | 8 December 1979 (1979-12-08) | 3 years, 351 days |
| 15 | Ian Macphee | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs | 8 December 1979 (1979-12-08) | 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) | 2 years, 150 days |
| 16 | John Hodges | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs | 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) | 11 March 1983 (1983-03-11) | 308 days |
| 17 | Stewart West | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs | 11 March 1983 (1983-03-11) | 13 December 1984 (1984-12-13) | 1 year, 277 days |
| 18 | Chris Hurford | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs | 13 December 1984 (1984-12-13) | 16 February 1987 (1987-02-16) | 2 years, 65 days |
| 19 | Mick Young | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs | 16 February 1987 (1987-02-16) | 12 February 1988 (1988-02-12) | 361 days |
| 20 | Clyde Holding | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs | 12 February 1988 (1988-02-12) | 2 September 1988 (1988-09-02) | 203 days |
| 21 | Robert Ray | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs | 2 September 1988 (1988-09-02) | 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) | 1 year, 214 days |
| 22 | Gerry Hand | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs | 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) | 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) | 2 years, 354 days |
| 22 | Gerry Hand | Labor | Keating | Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs | 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) | 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24) | 2 years, 354 days |
| 23 | Nick Bolkus | Labor | Keating | Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs | 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24) | 11 March 1996 (1996-03-11) | 2 years, 353 days |
| 24 | Philip Ruddock | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs | 11 March 1996 (1996-03-11) | 26 November 2001 (2001-11-26) | 7 years, 210 days |
| 24 | Philip Ruddock | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs | 26 November 2001 (2001-11-26) | 7 October 2003 (2003-10-07) | 7 years, 210 days |
| 25 | Amanda Vanstone | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs | 7 October 2003 (2003-10-07) | 27 January 2006 (2006-01-27) | 3 years, 115 days |
| 25 | Amanda Vanstone | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs | 27 January 2006 (2006-01-27) | 30 January 2007 (2007-01-30) | 3 years, 115 days |
| 26 | Kevin Andrews | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Immigration and Citizenship | 30 January 2007 (2007-01-30) | 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) | 307 days |
| 27 | Chris Evans | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Immigration and Citizenship | 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) | 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) | 2 years, 285 days |
| 27 | Chris Evans | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Immigration and Citizenship | 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) | 14 September 2010 (2010-09-14) | 2 years, 285 days |
| 28 | Chris Bowen | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Immigration and Citizenship | 14 September 2010 (2010-09-14) | 4 February 2013 (2013-02-04) | 2 years, 143 days |
| 29 | Brendan O'Connor | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Immigration and Citizenship | 4 February 2013 (2013-02-04) | 1 July 2013 (2013-07-01) | 147 days |
| 30 | Tony Burke | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Immigration, Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship | 1 July 2013 (2013-07-01) | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 79 days |
| 31 | Scott Morrison | Liberal | Abbott | Minister for Immigration and Border Protection | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 23 December 2014 (2014-12-23) | 1 year, 96 days |
| 32 | Peter Dutton | Liberal | Abbott | Minister for Immigration and Border Protection | 23 December 2014 (2014-12-23) | 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) | 3 years, 241 days |
| 32 | Peter Dutton | Liberal | Turnbull | Minister for Immigration and Border Protection | 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) | 21 August 2018 (2018-08-21) | 3 years, 241 days |
| 33 | David Coleman | Liberal | Morrison | Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs | 28 August 2018 (2018-08-28) | 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) | 1 year, 107 days |
| 33 | David Coleman | Liberal | Morrison | Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs | 29 May 2019 (2019-05-29) | 13 December 2019 (2019-12-13) | 1 year, 107 days |
| (acting) | Alan Tudge | Liberal | Morrison | Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs | 13 December 2019 (2019-12-13) | 22 December 2020 (2020-12-22) | 1 year, 9 days |
| 34 | Alex Hawke | Liberal | Morrison | Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs | 22 December 2020 (2020-12-22) | 23 May 2022 (2022-05-23) | 1 year, 152 days |
| 35 | Andrew Giles | Labor | Albanese | Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs | 1 June 2022 (2022-06-01) | incumbent | 1 year, 56 days |

Notes

    Barnard was one of a two-man ministry consisting of himself and Gough Whitlam for two weeks until the full ministry was announced.

## List of ministers for customs

From 1901 to 1956 Customs was handled by the Minister for Trade and Customs. In 1956 Frederick Osborne was appointed Minister for Customs and Excise. Kep Enderby was appointed Minister for Police and Customs in 1975. In 1975 responsibility for customs was absorbed into the portfolio of the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs, John Howard. In May 1982, the portfolio of the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs was abolished and customs functions were transferred to the Minister for Industry and Commerce, Phillip Lynch. In January 1988, Barry Jones became responsible for customs as Minister for Science, Customs and Small Business within John Button's portfolio of Industry and Commerce and there were subsequently junior ministers responsible for customs within the industry portfolio until March 1993 and from March 1994 until December 2007, when customs became part of the responsibility of the Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus. Between September 2013 and December 2017, it was the responsibility of the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.

The following individuals have held responsibility for customs:

| Order | Minister | Party | Prime Minister | Title | Term start | Term end | Term in office |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Charles Kingston | Protectionist | Barton | Minister for Trade and Customs | 1 January 1901 (1901-01-01) | 24 July 1903 (1903-07-24) | 2 years, 204 days |
| 2 | William Lyne | Protectionist | Barton | Minister for Trade and Customs | 11 August 1903 (1903-08-11) | 24 September 1903 (1903-09-24) | 260 days |
| 2 | William Lyne | Protectionist | Deakin | Minister for Trade and Customs | 24 September 1903 (1903-09-24) | 27 April 1904 (1904-04-27) | 260 days |
| 3 | Andrew Fisher | Labor | Watson | Minister for Trade and Customs | 27 April 1904 (1904-04-27) | 17 August 1904 (1904-08-17) | 112 days |
| 4 | Allan McLean | Protectionist | Reid | Minister for Trade and Customs | 17 August 1904 (1904-08-17) | 5 July 1905 (1905-07-05) | 322 days |
| 5 | William Lyne | Protectionist | Deakin | Minister for Trade and Customs | 5 July 1905 (1905-07-05) | 30 July 1907 (1907-07-30) | 2 years, 25 days |
| 6 | Austin Chapman | Protectionist | Deakin | Minister for Trade and Customs | 30 July 1907 (1907-07-30) | 13 November 1908 (1908-11-13) | 1 year, 106 days |
| 7 | Frank Tudor | Labor | Fisher | Minister for Trade and Customs | 13 November 1908 (1908-11-13) | 2 June 1909 (1909-06-02) | 201 days |
| 8 | Robert Best | Protectionist | Deakin | Minister for Trade and Customs | 2 June 1909 (1909-06-02) | 29 April 1910 (1910-04-29) | 331 days |
| n/a | Frank Tudor | Labor | Fisher | Minister for Trade and Customs | 29 April 1910 (1910-04-29) | 24 June 1913 (1913-06-24) | 3 years, 56 days |
| 9 | Littleton Groom | Commonwealth Liberal | Cook | Minister for Trade and Customs | 24 June 1913 (1913-06-24) | 17 September 1914 (1914-09-17) | 1 year, 85 days |
| n/a | Frank Tudor | Labor | Fisher | Minister for Trade and Customs | 17 September 1914 (1914-09-17) | 27 October 1915 (1915-10-27) | 1 year, 363 days |
| n/a | Frank Tudor | Labor | Hughes | Minister for Trade and Customs | 27 October 1915 (1915-10-27) | 14 September 1916 (1916-09-14) | 1 year, 363 days |
| 10 | Billy Hughes | Labor | Hughes | Minister for Trade and Customs | 29 September 1916 (1916-09-29) | 14 November 1916 (1916-11-14) | 61 days |
| 11 | William Archibald | National Labor | Hughes | Minister for Trade and Customs | 14 November 1916 (1916-11-14) | 17 February 1917 (1917-02-17) | 95 days |
| 12 | Jens Jensen | Nationalist | Hughes | Minister for Trade and Customs | 17 February 1917 (1917-02-17) | 13 December 1918 (1918-12-13) | 1 year, 299 days |
| 13 | William Watt | Nationalist | Hughes | Minister for Trade and Customs | 13 December 1918 (1918-12-13) | 17 January 1919 (1919-01-17) | 35 days |
| 14 | Walter Massy-Greene | Nationalist | Hughes | Minister for Trade and Customs | 17 January 1919 (1919-01-17) | 21 December 1921 (1921-12-21) | 2 years, 338 days |
| 15 | Arthur Rodgers | Nationalist | Hughes | Minister for Trade and Customs | 21 December 1921 (1921-12-21) | 5 February 1923 (1923-02-05) | 1 year, 46 days |
| n/a | Austin Chapman | Nationalist | Bruce | Minister for Trade and Customs | 9 February 1923 (1923-02-09) | 26 May 1924 (1924-05-26) | 1 year, 107 days |
| n/a | Littleton Groom | Nationalist | Bruce | Minister for Trade and Customs | 29 May 1924 (1924-05-29) | 13 June 1924 (1924-06-13) | 15 days |
| 16 | Herbert Pratten | Nationalist | Bruce | Minister for Trade and Customs | 13 June 1924 (1924-06-13) | 7 May 1928 (1928-05-07) | 3 years, 329 days |
| 17 | Stanley Bruce | Nationalist | Bruce | Minister for Trade and Customs | 8 May 1928 (1928-05-08) | 24 November 1928 (1928-11-24) | 200 days |
| 18 | Henry Gullett | Nationalist | Bruce | Minister for Trade and Customs | 24 November 1928 (1928-11-24) | 22 October 1929 (1929-10-22) | 332 days |
| 19 | James Fenton | Labor | Scullin | Minister for Trade and Customs | 22 October 1929 (1929-10-22) | 4 February 1931 (1931-02-04) | 1 year, 105 days |
| 20 | Frank Forde | Labor | Scullin | Minister for Trade and Customs | 4 February 1931 (1931-02-04) | 6 January 1932 (1932-01-06) | 336 days |
| n/a | Henry Gullett | United Australia | Lyons | Minister for Trade and Customs | 6 January 1932 (1932-01-06) | 14 January 1933 (1933-01-14) | 1 year, 8 days |
| 21 | Thomas White | United Australia | Lyons | Minister for Trade and Customs | 14 January 1933 (1933-01-14) | 8 November 1938 (1938-11-08) | 5 years, 298 days |
| 22 | John Perkins | United Australia | Lyons | Minister for Trade and Customs | 8 November 1938 (1938-11-08) | 7 April 1939 (1939-04-07) | 169 days |
| 22 | John Perkins | United Australia | Page | Minister for Trade and Customs | 7 April 1939 (1939-04-07) | 26 April 1939 (1939-04-26) | 169 days |
| 23 | John Lawson | United Australia | Menzies | Minister for Trade and Customs | 26 April 1939 (1939-04-26) | 23 February 1940 (1940-02-23) | 303 days |
| 24 | Robert Menzies | United Australia | Menzies | Minister for Trade and Customs | 23 February 1940 (1940-02-23) | 14 March 1940 (1940-03-14) | 20 days |
| 25 | George McLeay | United Australia | Menzies | Minister for Trade and Customs | 14 March 1940 (1940-03-14) | 28 October 1940 (1940-10-28) | 228 days |
| 26 | Eric Harrison | United Australia | Menzies | Minister for Trade and Customs | 28 October 1940 (1940-10-28) | 29 August 1941 (1941-08-29) | 344 days |
| 26 | Eric Harrison | United Australia | Fadden | Minister for Trade and Customs | 29 August 1941 (1941-08-29) | 7 October 1941 (1941-10-07) | 344 days |
| 27 | Richard Keane | Labor | Curtin | Minister for Trade and Customs | 7 October 1941 (1941-10-07) | 6 July 1945 (1945-07-06) | 4 years, 201 days |
| 27 | Richard Keane | Labor | Forde | Minister for Trade and Customs | 6 July 1945 (1945-07-06) | 13 July 1945 (1945-07-13) | 4 years, 201 days |
| 27 | Richard Keane | Labor | Chifley | Minister for Trade and Customs | 13 July 1945 (1945-07-13) | 26 April 1946 (1946-04-26) | 4 years, 201 days |
| 28 | John Dedman | Labor | Chifley | Minister for Trade and Customs | 26 April 1946 (1946-04-26) | 18 June 1946 (1946-06-18) | 53 days |
| 29 | James Fraser | Labor | Chifley | Minister for Trade and Customs | 18 June 1946 (1946-06-18) | 1 November 1946 (1946-11-01) | 136 days |
| 30 | Ben Courtice | Labor | Chifley | Minister for Trade and Customs | 1 November 1946 (1946-11-01) | 19 December 1949 (1949-12-19) | 3 years, 184 days |
| 31 | Neil O'Sullivan | Liberal | Menzies | Minister for Trade and Customs | 19 December 1949 (1949-12-19) | 11 January 1956 (1956-01-11) | 6 years, 23 days |
| 32 | Frederick Osborne | Liberal | Menzies | Minister for Customs and Excise | 11 January 1956 (1956-01-11) | 24 October 1956 (1956-10-24) | 287 days |
| 33 | Denham Henty | Liberal | Menzies | Minister for Customs and Excise | 24 October 1956 (1956-10-24) | 10 June 1964 (1964-06-10) | 7 years, 230 days |
| 34 | Ken Anderson | Liberal | Menzies | Minister for Customs and Excise | 10 June 1964 (1964-06-10) | 26 January 1966 (1966-01-26) | 3 years, 263 days |
| 34 | Ken Anderson | Liberal | Holt | Minister for Customs and Excise | 26 January 1966 (1966-01-26) | 19 December 1967 (1967-12-19) | 3 years, 263 days |
| 34 | Ken Anderson | Liberal | McEwen | Minister for Customs and Excise | 19 December 1967 (1967-12-19) | 10 January 1968 (1968-01-10) | 3 years, 263 days |
| 34 | Ken Anderson | Liberal | Gorton | Minister for Customs and Excise | 10 January 1968 (1968-01-10) | 28 February 1968 (1968-02-28) | 3 years, 263 days |
| 35 | Malcolm Scott | Liberal | Gorton | Minister for Customs and Excise | 28 February 1968 (1968-02-28) | 12 November 1969 (1969-11-12) | 1 year, 257 days |
| 36 | Don Chipp | Liberal | Gorton | Minister for Customs and Excise | 12 November 1969 (1969-11-12) | 10 March 1971 (1971-03-10) | 3 years, 23 days |
| 36 | Don Chipp | Liberal | McMahon | Minister for Customs and Excise | 10 March 1971 (1971-03-10) | 5 December 1972 (1972-12-05) | 3 years, 23 days |
| 37 | Gough Whitlam | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Customs and Excise | 5 December 1972 (1972-12-05) | 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) | 14 days |
| 38 | Lionel Murphy | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Customs and Excise | 19 December 1972 (1972-12-19) | 10 February 1975 (1975-02-10) | 2 years, 53 days |
| 39 | Kep Enderby | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Customs and Excise | 10 February 1975 (1975-02-10) | 27 March 1975 (1975-03-27) | 116 days |
| 39 | Kep Enderby | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Police and Customs | 27 March 1975 (1975-03-27) | 6 June 1975 (1975-06-06) | 116 days |
| 40 | Jim Cavanagh | Labor | Whitlam | Minister for Police and Customs | 6 June 1975 (1975-06-06) | 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) | 158 days |
| 41 | Ivor Greenwood | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Police and Customs | 11 November 1975 (1975-11-11) | 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) | 41 days |
| 42 | John Howard | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs | 22 December 1975 (1975-12-22) | 17 July 1977 (1977-07-17) | 1 year, 207 days |
| 43 | Wal Fife | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs | 17 July 1977 (1977-07-17) | 8 December 1979 (1979-12-08) | 2 years, 144 days |
| 44 | Victor Garland | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs | 8 December 1979 (1979-12-08) | 3 November 1980 (1980-11-03) | 331 days |
| 45 | John Moore | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs | 3 November 1980 (1980-11-03) | 20 April 1982 (1982-04-20) | 1 year, 168 days |
| 46 | Neil Brown | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs | 20 April 1982 (1982-04-20) | 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) | 17 days |
| 47 | Phillip Lynch | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Industry and Commerce | 7 May 1982 (1982-05-07) | 11 October 1982 (1982-10-11) | 157 days |
| 48 | Andrew Peacock | Liberal | Fraser | Minister for Industry and Commerce | 11 October 1982 (1982-10-11) | 11 March 1983 (1983-03-11) | 151 days |
| 49 | John Button | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Industry and Commerce | 11 March 1983 (1983-03-11) | 13 December 1984 (1984-12-13) | 4 years, 314 days |
| 49 | John Button | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce | 13 December 1984 (1984-12-13) | 19 January 1988 (1988-01-19) | 4 years, 314 days |
| 50 | Barry Jones | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Science, Customs and Small Business | 19 January 1988 (1988-01-19) | 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) | 7 years, 24 days |
| 51 | David Beddall | Labor | Hawke | Minister for Small Business and Customs | 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) | 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) | 2 years, 354 days |
| 51 | David Beddall | Labor | Keating | Minister for Small Business and Customs | 20 December 1991 (1991-12-20) | 27 December 1991 (1991-12-27) | 2 years, 354 days |
| 51 | David Beddall | Labor | Keating | Minister for Small Business, Construction and Customs | 27 December 1991 (1991-12-27) | 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24) | 2 years, 354 days |
| 52 | Alan Griffiths | Labor | Keating | Minister for Industry, Technology and Regional Development | 24 March 1993 (1993-03-24) | 23 January 1994 (1994-01-23) | 305 days |
| 53 | Peter Cook | Labor | Keating | Minister for Industry, Technology and Regional Development | 30 January 1994 (1994-01-30) | 25 March 1994 (1994-03-25) | 61 days |
| 54 | Chris Schacht | Labor | Keating | Minister for Small Business, Customs and Construction | 25 March 1994 (1994-03-25) | 11 March 1996 (1996-03-11) | 1 year, 352 days |
| 55 | Geoff Prosser | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Small Business and Consumer Affairs | 11 March 1996 (1996-03-11) | 18 July 1997 (1997-07-18) | 1 year, 129 days |
| 56 | Chris Ellison | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs | 18 July 1997 (1997-07-18) | 9 October 1997 (1997-10-09) | 83 days |
| 57 | Warren Truss | Nationals | Howard | Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs | 9 October 1997 (1997-10-09) | 21 October 1998 (1998-10-21) | 1 year, 12 days |
| 58 | Amanda Vanstone | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Justice and Customs | 21 October 1998 (1998-10-21) | 30 January 2001 (2001-01-30) | 2 years, 101 days |
| 59 | Chris Ellison | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Justice and Customs | 30 January 2001 (2001-01-30) | 9 March 2007 (2007-03-09) | 6 years, 38 days |
| 60 | David Johnston | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Justice and Customs | 9 March 2007 (2007-03-09) | 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) | 269 days |
| 61 | Bob Debus | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Home Affairs | 3 December 2007 (2007-12-03) | 9 June 2009 (2009-06-09) | 1 year, 188 days |
| 62 | Brendan O'Connor | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Home Affairs | 9 June 2009 (2009-06-09) | 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) | 2 years, 188 days |
| 62 | Brendan O'Connor | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Home Affairs | 24 June 2010 (2010-06-24) | 14 December 2011 (2011-12-14) | 2 years, 188 days |
| 63 | Jason Clare | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Home Affairs | 14 December 2011 (2011-12-14) | 27 June 2013 (2013-06-27) | 1 year, 278 days |
| 63 | Jason Clare | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Home Affairs | 27 June 2013 (2013-06-27) | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 1 year, 278 days |
| 64 | Scott Morrison | Liberal | Abbott | Minister for Immigration and Border Protection | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 23 December 2014 (2014-12-23) | 1 year, 96 days |
| 65 | Peter Dutton | Liberal | Abbott | Minister for Immigration and Border Protection | 23 December 2014 (2014-12-23) | 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) | 3 years, 241 days |
| 65 | Peter Dutton | Liberal | Turnbull | Minister for Immigration and Border Protection | 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) | 21 August 2018 (2018-08-21) | 3 years, 241 days |
| For subsequent appointments, see the Minister for Home Affairs |||||||||

Notes

    Whitlam was one of a two-man ministry consisting of himself and Lance Barnard for two weeks until the full ministry was announced.

## List of assistant ministers

On 24 July 1987 (1987-07-24) the third Hawke ministry implemented a two-level ministerial structure, with distinctions drawn between senior and junior ministers. This arrangement has been continued by subsequent governments; although there has not always been a junior minister in the immigration portfolio. Senior ministers are shown above. Junior ministers are shown below. The following individuals served as the Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs, or any precedent titles:

| Order | Minister | Party affiliation | Prime Minister | Ministerial title | Term start | Term end | Term in office |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Clyde Holding | Labor | Hawke | Minister Assisting the Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs | 2 September 1988 (1988-09-02) | 4 April 1990 (1990-04-04) | 1 year, 214 days |
| 2 | Gary Hardgrave | Liberal | Howard | Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs | 26 November 2001 (2001-11-26) | 26 October 2004 (2004-10-26) | 2 years, 335 days |
| 3 | Peter McGauran | National | Howard | Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs | 26 October 2004 (2004-10-26) | 6 July 2005 (2005-07-06) | 253 days |
| 4 | John Cobb | National | Howard | Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs | 6 July 2005 (2005-07-06) | 27 January 2006 (2006-01-27) | 205 days |
| 5 | Kate Lundy | Labor | Gillard | Minister for Multicultural Affairs | 5 March 2012 (2012-03-05) | 27 June 2013 (2013-06-27) | 1 year, 197 days |
| 5 | Kate Lundy | Labor | Rudd | Minister for Multicultural Affairs | 27 June 2013 (2013-06-27) | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 1 year, 197 days |
| 6 | Michaelia Cash | Liberal | Abbott | Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection | 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) | 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) | 2 years, 3 days |
| 6 | Michaelia Cash | Liberal | Turnbull | Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection | 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) | 21 September 2015 | 2 years, 3 days |
| 7 | James McGrath | Liberal | Turnbull | Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection | 18 February 2016 (2016-02-18) | 18 July 2016 (2016-07-18) | 2716 days |
| 9 | Alex Hawke | Liberal | Turnbull | Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection | 19 July 2016 (2016-07-19) | 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20) | 1 year, 154 days |
| For subsequent appointments, see the Assistant Minister for Home Affairs |||||||||
