The Minister for Science is an Australian Government cabinet position which is currently held by Tim Ayres following his 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 Industry, Science and Resources.
Scope
other bodies in the portfolio included: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Australian Skills Quality Authority Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency CSIRO Geoscience Australia IP Australia National Advisory for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Office of the Chief Scientist Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency The Australian Space Agency opened in Adelaide in February 2020.
List of science ministers In 1931 and from 1932 to 1937, 1940 to 1949 and 1950 to 1963 there were ministers in charge of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and its successors. In 1963 John Gorton was given responsibility for science (and education) generally. Order Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office 1 Jack Holloway Labor Scullin Assistant Minister for Industry, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 3 March 1931 12 June 1931 days 2 Alexander McLachlan United Australia Lyons Minister in charge of Development and Scientific and Industrial Research 6 January 1932 29 November 1937 3 Richard Casey 29 November 1937 7 November 1938 4 Henry GullettUnited AustraliaMenziesMinister in charge of Scientific and Industrial Research 14 March 1940 13 August 1940 days 5 Herbert Collett 14 August 1940 28 October 1940 days 6 Harold Holt 28 October 1940 28 August 1941 days 7 John Dedman Labor Curtin Minister in charge of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 7 October 1941 6 July 1945 Forde 6 July 1945 13 July 1945 Chifley 13 July 1945 19 December 1949 (3) Richard Casey Liberal Menzies Minister in charge of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation23 March 19504 February 1960 8 Donald Cameron 4 February 196022 December 1961 9 Robert Menzies 22 December 196116 February 1962 days 10 John Gorton 16 February 196218 December 1963 Minister in charge of Commonwealth Activities in Education and Research under the Prime Minister18 December 196321 January 1966 Holt26 January 196614 December 1966 Minister for Education and Science14 December 196619 December 1967 McEwen19 December 196710 January 1968 Gorton10 January 196828 February 1968 11 Malcolm Fraser 28 February 196812 November 1969 12Nigel Bowen 12 November 196910 March 1971 days McMahon10 March 197122 March 1971 13 David Fairbairn 22 March 197120 August 1971 days (11) Malcolm Fraser 20 August 19715 December 1972 14 Gough Whitlam Labor Whitlam 5 December 1972 19 December 1972 days 15 Bill Morrison Minister for Science 19 December 1972 6 June 1975 Minister for Science and Consumer Affairs 6 June 1975 6 June 1975 16 Clyde Cameron 6 June 1975 11 November 1975 days 17 Bob Cotton Liberal Fraser11 November 197522 December 1975 days 18 James Webster National Country Minister for Science22 December 19755 December 1978 Minister for Science and the Environment 5 December 1978 8 December 1979 19 David Thomson8 December 19793 November 1980 Minister for Science and Technology3 November 198016 October 1982 National 16 October 1982 11 March 1983 20 Barry Jones Labor Hawke 11 March 1983 13 December 1984 Minister for Science 13 December 1984 24 July 1987 Minister for Science and Small Business 24 July 1987 19 January 1988 Minister for Science, Customs and Small Business 19 January 1988 4 April 1990 21 Simon Crean Minister for Science and Technology 4 April 1990 4 June 1991 22 Ross Free 4 June 1991 20 December 1991 Keating 20 December 1991 24 March 1993 23 Chris Schacht Minister for Science and Small Business 24 March 1993 25 March 1994 24 Peter Cook Minister for Science and Small Business 25 March 1994 11 March 1996 25 Peter McGauran National Howard Minister for Science and Technology11 March 199626 September 1997 26 John Moore Liberal Minister for Industry, Science and Tourism11 March 199621 October 1998 27 Nick Minchin Minister for Industry, Science and Resources21 October 199826 November 2001 (25) Peter McGauran National Minister for Science26 November 200122 October 2004 26 Brendan Nelson Liberal Minister for Education, Science and Training22 October 200427 January 2006 27 Julie Bishop 27 January 20063 December 2007 28 Kim Carr Labor Rudd Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research 3 December 2007 24 June 2010 Gillard 24 June 2010 14 December 2011 29 Chris Evans Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research 14 December 2011 2 February 2013 30 Chris Bowen 2 February 2013 22 March 2013 days 31 Craig Emerson 25 March 2013 26 June 2013 days (28) Kim Carr Rudd Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research 26 June 2013 18 September 2013 days 32 Ian Macfarlane Liberal Abbott Minister for Industry and Science 15 September 2015 Turnbull 21 September 2015 33 Christopher Pyne Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science 34 Greg Hunt 35 Arthur Sinodinos 36 Karen AndrewsLiberalMorrison Minister for Industry, Science and Technology 37 Christian Porter 38 Melissa Price Minister for Science and Technology 39 Ed Husic Labor Albanese Minister for Industry and Science 40 Tim Ayres Minister for Science incumbent
Assistant ministers List of assistant science ministers The following individual has been appointed as Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, or any of its precedent titles:
Order Assistant Minister Party Prime Minister Title Term start Term end Term in office 1 Warren Entsch Liberal Howard Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Science and Resources 21 October 1998 26 November 2001 2 Karen Andrews Liberal Abbott Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Science 23 December 2014 21 September 2015 Turnbull Assistant Minister for Science 21 September 2015 19 July 2016 3 Craig Laundy Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science 19 July 2016 4 Zed Seselja Assistant Minister for Science, Jobs and Innovation 5 Andrew Charlton Labor Albanese Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy incumbent
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