Australian Foreign Ministers Since 1901

A total of 40 people have been Minister for Foreign Affairs in Australia, since 1901.

The current incumbent, Senator Penny Wong, is the third consecutive woman to hold the post, succeeding Senator Marise Payne on May 23, 2022. Payne succeeded Julie Bishop on August 28, 2018. Bishop was Foreign Minister from September 18, 2013, serving 4 years, 11 months and 10 days.

Three ministers served non-consecutive terms: Alfred Deakin twice, Lee Batchelor twice, and William Morris Hughes thrice.

Six prime ministers concurrently held the post during their prime ministership: Barton, Deakin (first two terms), Reid, Hughes, Bruce and Scullin. Menzies and Whitlam each held the post during part of their prime ministership.

The post was originally known as External Affairs. It became Foreign Affairs in 1970, and Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1987, before returing to Foreign Affairs in 1993. Between 1916 and 1921, the post did not exist and the portfolio functions were the responsibility of Prime Minister Hughes.

Australian Foreign Ministers Since 1901
No.	Name	Party	Seat	Began	Ended
Ministers for External Affairs
01.	Sir Edmund Barton	Prot	Hunter, NSW	01 January 1901	24 September 1903
02.	Alfred Deakin	Prot	Ballaarat, Vic	24 September 1903	27 April 1904
03.	William Morris Hughes	Lab	West Sydney, NSW	27 April 1904	17 August 1904
04.	George Reid	FT	East Sydney, NSW	17 August 1904	05 July 1905
	Alfred Deakin	Prot	Ballaarat, Vic	05 July 1905	13 November 1908
05.	Lee Batchelor	ALP	Boothby, SA	13 November 1908	02 June 1909
06.	Littleton Groom	Lib	Darling Downs, Qld	02 June 1909	29 April 1910
	Lee Batchelor	ALP	Boothby, SA	29 April 1910	08 October 1911
07.	Josiah Thomas	ALP	Barrier, NSW	14 October 1911	24 June 1913
08.	Patrick Glynn	Lib	Angas, SA	24 June 1913	17 September 1914
09.	John Andrew	ALP	Bendigo, Vic	17 September 1914	9 December 1914
10.	Hugh Mahon	ALP	Kalgoorlie, WA	09 December 1914	14 November 1916
Portfolio functions to Prime Minister 1916-21
	William Morris Hughes	Nat	Bendigo, Vic	21 December 1921	9 February 1923
11.	Stanley Bruce	Nat	Flinders, Vic	09 February 1923	22 October 1929
12.	James Scullin	ALP	Yarra, Vic	22 October 1929	06 January 1932
13.	John Latham	UAP	Kooyong, Vic	06 January 1932	12 October 1934
14.	Senator George Pearce	UAP	WA	12 October 1934	29 November 1937
	William Morris Hughes	UAP	North Sydney, NSW	29 November 1937	26 April 1939
15.	Sir Henry Gullett	UAP	Henty, Vic	26 April 1939	14 March 1940
16.	John McEwen	CP	Indi, Vic	14 March 1940	28 October 1940
17.	Sir Frederick Stewart	UAP	Parramatta, NSW	28 October 1940	07 October 1941
18.	Dr Herbert V. Evatt	ALP	Barton, NSW	07 October 1941	19 December 1949
19.	Percy Spender	Lib	Warringah, NSW	19 December 1949	26 April 1951
20.	Richard Casey	Lib	La Trobe, Vic	26 April 1951	04 February 1960
21.	Robert Menzies	Lib	Kooyong, Vic	04 February 1960	22 December 1961
22.	Sir Garfield Barwick	Lib	Parramatta, NSW	22 December 1961	24 April 1964
23.	Paul Hasluck	Lib	Curtin, WA	24 April 1964	11 February 1969
24.	Gordon Freeth	Lib	Forrest, WA	11 February 1969	12 November 1969
25.	William McMahon	Lib	Lowe, NSW	12 November 1969	06 November 1970
Ministers for Foreign Affairs
	William McMahon	Lib	Lowe, NSW	06 November 1970	22 March 1971
26.	Leslie Bury	Lib	Wentworth, NSW	22 March 1971	02 August 1971
27.	Nigel Bowen	Lib	Parramatta, NSW	02 August 1971	05 December 1972
28.	Gough Whitlam	ALP	Werriwa, NSW	05 December 1972	06 November 1973
29.	Senator Donald Willesee	ALP	WA	06 November 1973	11 November 1975
30.	Andrew Peacock	Lib	Kooyong, Vic	12 November 1975	3 November 1980
31.	Tony Street	Lib	Corangamite, Vic	03 November 1980	11 March 1983
32.	Bill Hayden	ALP	Oxley, Qld	11 March 1983	24 July 1987
Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Trade
	Bill Hayden	ALP	Oxley, Qld	24 July 1987	02 September 1988
33.	Senator Gareth Evans	ALP	Vic	02 September 1988	24 March 1993
Ministers for Foreign Affairs
	Senator Gareth Evans	ALP	Vic	24 March 1993	11 March 1996
34.	Alexander Downer	Lib	Mayo, SA	11 March 1996	03 December 2007
35.	Stephen Smith	ALP	Perth, WA	03 December 2007	14 September 2010
36.	Kevin Rudd	ALP	Griffith, Qld	14 September 2010	5 March 2012
37.	Senator Bob Carr	ALP	NSW	13 March 2012	18 September 2013
38.	Julie Bishop	Lib	Curtin, WA	18 September 2013	28 August 2018
39.	Senator Marise Payne	Lib	WA	28 August 2018	23 May 2022
40.	Senator Penny Wong	ALP	SA	23 May 2022	–