By Greg Blood

The development of sport in Australia since 1972 has been significantly progressed by Federal Ministers of Sport and at times Shadow Ministers of Sport.

Listed are Federal Ministers of Sport and their Shadows since 1972. The objective of this list was to look at the longevity of Ministers and highlighting significant policies and funding. Their longevity has been impacted by promotions, loosing government, party disputes and indiscretions.

Since 1972 when Frank Stewart was regarded as the first Federal Sport Minister, only four Minister’s have held the office for more than three years – Rod Kemp (5 years, 65 days), John Brown (4 years, 314 days), Ros Kelly (3 years, 331 days) and Jackie Kelly (3 years, 36 days). In observing the careers of these Minister’s, it is apparent that they were invested in the development of sport over their career path in federal politics.

The only shadow minister to be appointed the Minister for Sport is John Brown. Kate Lundy was the shadow minister for nearly nine years but factional Labor Party deals meant that she was not appointed the Rudd Government’s Minister for Sport. Lundy did however serve as the Minister for a short time under the Gillard Government.

Greg Hartung in his History of Australian Sport Policy Series discusses the role of shadow minister’s in the development of sport in terms of policy papers and debates in Parliament and the community. In recent times, opposition shadow ministers are generally only heard at Senate Estimates and rarely are sport policies produced by them. In many ways since the early 1990’s sport has become depoliticized. This may be due to the increased level of Federal government funding and national sports organisations unwilling to criticize Federal Government due to the prospect of losing funding.

Three Ministers have had a significant national sport background – Frank Stewart (rugby league), Ray Groom (Australian football) and Jackie Kelly (rowing). Interestingly several prominent Australian international athletes like Rick Charlesworth and John Alexander have never been offered the sport ministry even though they would have brought great insights.

The sport ministry is at the end of the pecking order and for many politicians it is seen as a stepping stone or reward for service. Is sport getting the minister it deserves -knowledgeable and passionate about its role in society?

List of Ministers and Their Shadows 1972–

Frank Stewart Minister for Tourism and Recreation, Whitlam Labor  Government ( 19/12/1972 – 11/11/1975 – 2 years, 327 days)

Reason for departure: Whitlam Government dismissed

Major policy/funding announcements:

• Two policy reports – The Role, Scope and Development of Recreation in Australia (Bloomfield) and Report of the Australian Sports Institute Study Group (Coles)

Opposition shadow: Not filled

Senator Reg Withers  Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development, Fraser Coalition Government (11/11/1975 – 22/12/1975 – 41 days )

Reason for departure: Temporary after dismissal of the Whitlam Government

Senator Ivor Greenwood  Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development, Fraser Coalition Government ( 22/12/1975 – 8/7/1976 – 199 days)

Reason for departure: Resignation due to illness

Opposition spokesperson: Not filled

Kevin Newman  Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development, Fraser Coalition Government (8/7/1976 – 20/12/1977 – 1 year, 165 days)

Reason for departure: Appointed Minister for National Development

Opposition spokesperson: Not filled

Ray Groom Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development, Fraser Coalition Government (20/12/1977 – 5/12/1978 – 350 days)

Reason for departure: Appointed Minister for Housing and Construction

Opposition spokesperson: Barry Cohen (29/12/1977 – 7/11/1980)

Robert Ellicott  Minister for Home Affairs, Fraser Coalition Government ( 5/12/1978 – 17/2/1981 – 2 years, 74 days)

Reason for departure: Resignation to become Federal Court Judge

Major policy/funding announcements:

• Establishment of the Australian Institute of Sport on 26 January 1981

Opposition shadow: Barry Cohen (29/12/1977 – 7/11/1980), John Brown (23/11/1980 – 11/3/1983)

Michael MacKellar Minister for Home Affairs, Fraser Coalition Government (17/2/1981 – 19/3/1981 – 30 days)

Reason for departure: Resignation re colour television importation

Opposition shadow: John Brown (23/11/1980 – 11/3/1983)

Ian Wilson Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Home Affairs, Fraser Coalition Government (19/2/1981 – 7/5/1982 – 1 year, 49 days)

Reason for departure: Appointed Minister for Aboriginal Affairs

Opposition shadow: John Brown (23/11/1980 – 11/3/1983)

Tom McVeigh Minister for Home Affairs and Environment, Fraser Coalition Government ( 7/5/1982 – 11/3/1983 – 308 days)

Reason for departure: Fraser Government lost office

Opposition shadow: John Brown (23/11/1980 – 11/3/1983)

John Brown  Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism, Hawke Labor Government (11/3/1983 – 19/1/1988 – 4 years, 314 days)

Reason for departure: Resignation for misleading House of Representatives.

Major policy/funding announcements:

• Expansion of the AIS – facilities and additional sports in Canberra and interstate
• Establishment of the Australian Sports Commission formally in 1985
• Merger of the Australian Institute of Sport and Australian Sports Commission in 1987

Opposition shadows: Peter Fisher (16/3/1983 – 14/12/19984) ; Charles Blunt (14/12/1984 – 9/9/1985) ; Peter White (9/9/1985 – 1/5/1987) ; Peter Reith (1/5/1987-14/8/1987) ; John Sharp (14/8/1987 – 12/5/1989)

Senator Graham Richardson  Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, Hawke Labor Government ( 19/1/1988 – 4/4/1990 – 2 years, 75 days)

Reason for departure: Appointed Minister for Social Security

Major policy/funding announcements:

• 1989 –  “The Next Step” initiative – $230 million package over 4 years . The policy had two objectives – increase participation levels in sport and improve the level of performance of Australian athletes nationally and internationally.
• Senate Drugs in Sport inquiry led to establishment of Australian Sports Drug Agency was established in 1990

Opposition shadows: John Sharp (14/8/1987 – 12/5/1989) , David Jull (12/5/1989 – 11/4/1990)

Ros Kelly Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, Hawke/Keating Labor Government (4/4/1990 – 1/3/1994 – 3 years, 331 days) (Several ministry titles)

Reason for departure: Resignation – Sports Rorts I

Major policy/funding announcements:

• In 1992, ‘Maintain the Momentum’ policy was released with sport being allocated $293 m over four years. The main aims of this policy were to provide sporting organisations and programs with guaranteed funding over a four year Olympic cycle and to consolidate the developments of ‘Next Step’.

Opposition shadows: Senator Chris Puplick (11/4/1990 – 9/5/1990) , Senator Michael Baume (9/5/1990 – 7/4/1993) ; Michael Ronaldson (7/4/1993 – 26/5/1994) ;

Senator Graham Richardson   Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories, Keating Labor Government (1/3/1994 – 25/3/1994 – 24 days)

Reason for departure: Temporary replacement for Ros Kelly

Opposition shadows: Michael Ronaldson (7/4/1993 – 26/5/1994) ; Senator Ian Campbell (26/5/1994-11/3/1996)

Senator John Faulkner Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories, Keating Labor Government ( 25/3/1994 – 11/3/1996 – 1 year, 352 days)

Reason for departure:  Keating Government lost office

Major policy/funding announcements:

• 1994 – Olympic and Paralympic Athlete Program an additional $135 m over six years to prepare Australian athletes for Sydney Olympics and Paralympics.

Opposition shadows : Michael Ronaldson (7/4/1993 – 26/5/1994) ; Senator Ian Campbell (26/5/1994-11/3/1996)

Warwick Smith Minister for Sport, Territories and Local Government, Howard Coalition Government (11/3/1996 – 9/9/1997 – 1 year, 212 days)

Reason for departure: Appointed Minister for Family Services

Opposition shadow: Stephen Martin (20/3/1996 – 20/10/1998)

Andrew Thomson Minister for Sport and Tourism, Howard Coalition Government ( 9/10/1997 – 21/10/1998 – 1 year, 12 days)

Reason for departure:  Not appointed after the 1998 election

Opposition spokesperson: Stephen Martin (20/3/1996 – 20/10/1998)

Jackie Kelly Minister for Sport and Tourism, Howard Coalition Government ( 21/10/1998 – 26/11/2001- 3 years, 36 days)

Reason for departure: New position – Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister 

Major policy/funding announcements:

• June 1999 established a Sport 2020 Task Force under the Chair of Ross Oakley. A comprehensive review of Commonwealth Government involvement in Australian sport and recreation was conducted and the report ‘Shaping Up’ released.
• In April 2001, Backing Australia’s Sporting Ability policy injected an additional $161.6 million into Australian sport over the next four years bringing the total commitment to sport to a record level of $547 million. The centrepiece of this policy was to increase community participation in sport

Opposition shadows: Stephen Martin (20/3/1996 – 20/10/1998) ; Senator Kate Lundy (20/10/1998 – 26/10/2004)

Senator Rod Kemp Minister for the Arts and Sport, Howard Coalition Government ( 26/11/2001 – 30/1/2007 -5 years, 65 days)

Reason for departure: Resignation due to decision leave Parliament.

Major policy/funding announcements:

• 2002/2003 Budget – Federal budget provided additional $65.36 m for the refurbishment of AIS facilities in Canberra.
• June 2004 – Building a Healthy, Active Australia  policy at tackle  the issue  declining physical activity and poor eating habits of Australian children. The policy included $90 million over three years for Active After School Communities program operated by the Australian Sports Commission.

Opposition shadow: Senator Kate Lundy (20/10/1998 – 26/10/2004, 24/6/2005 – 3/12/2007)

Senator George Brandis Minister for the Arts and Sport, Howard Coalition Government 30/1/2007 – 3/12/2007 – 307 days)

Reason for departure: Howard Government lost office

Opposition shadow: Senator Kate Lundy (20/10/1998 – 26/10/2004 ; 24/6/2005 – 3/12/2007)

Kate Ellis Minister for Sport, Rudd/Gillard Labor Government (3/12/2007 -14/9/2010 – 2 years, 285 days)

Reason for departure: Appointed the Minister for Status of Women

Major policy/funding announcements:

• August 2008  – commissioned David Crawford and his Independent Sport Panel (report commonly referred to as Crawford Report)  “to investigate reforms required to ensure the Australian sporting system remains prepared for future challenges at both the community and elite levels.
• May 2010 –  Crawford Report with its policy ‘ Australian Sport : The Pathway to Success’ and injected an additional $195 million over four years and brought the total funding to sport of $1.2 b over four years.  High performance sport gained the majority of the funding.

Opposition shadow: Andrew Southcott (22/9/2008 – 8/12/2009) , Steven Ciobo  (8/12/2009 – 14/9/2010)

Senator Mark Arbib Minister for Sport, Gillard Labor Government (14/9/2010 – 5/3/2012 – 1 year, 173 days)

Reason for departure: Resignation from Parliament

Opposition shadow: Luke Hartsuyker (14/9/2010 – 18/9/2013).

Senator Kate Lundy Minister for Sport, Gillard Labor Government (5/3/2012 – 27/6/2013 – 1 year, 114 days)

Reason for departure: Change from Gillard to Rudd Labor Government

Major policy/funding announcements:

• Australian Sports Commission’s its Australia’s Winning Edge2012-2022 strategy that included defined medal targets, designating national sports organisations’ responsibility for high performance and abolishing AIS sport programs.

Opposition shadow: Luke Hartsuyker (14/9/2010 – 18/9/2013).

Senator Don Farrell Minister for Sport, Rudd Labor Government ( 27/6/2013 – 18/9/2013 – 83 days)

Reason for departure: Rudd Government lost office

Opposition shadow: Luke Hartsuyker (14/9/2010 – 18/9/2013).

Peter Dutton Minister for Sport, Abbott Coalition Government (18/9/2013 – 23/12/2014 – 1 year, 96 days)

Reason for departure: Appointed to Minister of Immigration and Border Protection

Opposition shadow: Bernie Ripoll (8/10/2013 – 13/10/2015)

Sussan Ley Minister for Sport, Abbott/Turnbull Coalition Government (23/12/2014 – 13/1/2017 – 2 years, 21 days)

Reason for departure: Resignation due to travel expenses scandal.

Opposition shadow: Bernie Ripoll (8/10/2013 – 13/10/2015), Katy Gallagher (2/3/2016-23/7/2016), Stephen Conroy (23/7/2026-30/9/2016) Senator Don Farrell (11/10/2016- )

Greg Hunt Minister for Sport, Turnbull Coalition Government (18/1/2017 – 19/12/2017

Reason for departure: Ministry of Sport removed to allow Hunt to focus on Health portfolio

Opposition spokesperson: Senator Don Farrell (26/10/2016- )

Senator Bridget McKenzie Minister for Regional Services, Sport, Local Government and Decentralisation, Turnbull/Morrison Coalition Government ( 20/12/2017 – 29/5/2019 – 1 year, 160 days)

Reason for departure: Sports rorts II

Major policy/funding announcements:

• Sport 2030 – National Sport Plan – reduce inactivity among Australians by 15 per cent by 2030 and the need to improve the integrity of sport particularly in terms of doping, betting, corruption and child safety. $230 m to sport for the implementation of National Sport Plan.

Opposition shadow: Senator Don Farrell (26/10/2016- )

Senator Richard Colbeck Minister for Youth and Sport, Morrison Coalition Government (26/5/2019 – 21/5/2022)

Reason for departure: Morrison Government lost office

Major policy/funding announcements:

• Sport Integrity Australia established 1 July 2020 – replacing Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA)
• Morrison Government supported the successful Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Bid

Opposition shadow: Senator Don Farrell (26/10/2016-21/5/2022 )

Anika Wells, Minister for Sport, Albanese Labor Government (1 June 2022 – )

Opposition shadow: Senator Anne Rushton (5/6/2022- )