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 days Fadden 2 Eddie Ward Labor Curtin 3 Jack Holloway Forde Chifley (1) Harold Holt Liberal Menzies 4 William McMahon 5 Les Bury Holt McEwen Gorton 6 Billy Snedden McMahon 7 Phillip Lynch 8 Lance Barnard Labor Whitlam days 9 Clyde Cameron Minister for Labour Minister for Labour and Immigration 10 Jim McClelland days 11 Tony Street Liberal Fraser Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations 12 Ian Viner Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs 13 Neil Brown 14 Ian Macphee Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations days 15 Ralph Willis Labor Hawke 16 John Dawkins Minister for Employment, Education and Training Keating 17 Kim Beazley 18 Simon Crean 19 Amanda Vanstone Liberal Howard Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs 20 David Kemp 21 Peter Reith Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business 22 Tony Abbott Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations 23 Kevin Andrews 24 Joe Hockey days 25 Julia Gillard Labor Rudd 24 June 2010 Gillard 24 June 2010 28 June 2010 (18) Simon Crean days 26 Chris Evans Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations 27 Bill Shorten Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations 28 Brendan O'Connor Rudd Minister for EmploymentMinister for Skills and Training days 29 Eric Abetz Liberal Abbott Minister for Employment Turnbull 30 Michaelia Cash Minister for Jobs and Innovation 31 Kelly O'Dwyer Morrison Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations (30) Michaelia Cash Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business 32 Stuart Robert Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business 33 Richard Marles Labor Albanese Minister for Employment 34 Tony Burke Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations 35 Murray Watt 36 Amanda Rishworth Incumbent
Notes Barnard was part of a two-man ministry that comprised Barnard and Gough Whitlam for fourteen days until the full ministry was commissioned. 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 Minister for Industrial Relations 2 Andrew Peacock days 3 Ian Viner 4 Ian Macphee Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations days 5 Ralph Willis Labor Hawke Minister for Industrial Relations 6 Peter Morris 7 Peter Cook Keating 8 Laurie Brereton 9 Peter Reith Liberal Howard Minister for Workplace Relations and Small Business Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business 10 Tony Abbott Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations 11 Kevin Andrews 12 Joe Hockey days 13 Julia Gillard Labor Rudd 24 June 2010 Gillard 24 June 2010 28 June 2010 14 Simon Crean days 15 Chris Evans Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations 16 Bill Shorten Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Rudd Minister for Workplace Relations 17 Kelly O'Dwyer Liberal Morrison Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations 18 Christian Porter Minister for Industrial Relations 19 Michaelia Cash 20 Tony Burke Labor Albanese Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations 21 Murray Watt 22 Amanda Rishworth Incumbent
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 LaborHawke Minister for Employment Services and Youth Affairs days 2 Peter Duncan Minister for Employment and Education Services 3 Peter Baldwin Keating Minister for Higher Education and Employment Services 4 Tony Abbott Liberal Howard Minister for Employment Services 5 Mal Brough 6 Fran Bailey days 7 Peter Dutton Minister for Workforce Participation 8 Sharman Stone 9 Brendan O'Connor Labor Rudd Minister for Employment Participation 10 Mark Arbib Gillard 11 Kate Ellis Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare Minister for Employment Participation Rudd 12 Luke Hartsuyker Nationals Abbott Assistant Minister for Employment Turnbull
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 2 Andrew Leigh Labor Albanese Assistant Minister for Employment 3 Patrick Gorman Assistant Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Incumbent
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