Minister for Transport (New South Wales)

Cabinet position in New South Wales

Minister for Transport

Incumbent
John Graham

since 6 February 2025

Department of Transport
Style| The Honourable
Nominator| Premier of New South Wales
Appointer| Governor of New South Wales
Term length| At the governor's pleasure
Inaugural holder| Richard Ball (as Minister for Railways)
Formation| 15 November 1916 (as Minister for Railways)

The Minister for Transport is a minister in the Government of New South Wales who has responsibilities which include transport policy and regulation, to setting of fares and concessions for rail, ferry, bus and light rail transport, and the administration of maritime facilities in New South Wales, Australia.

The current Minister for Transport has been John Graham since 6 February 2025 following the resignation of Jo Haylen. The Minister for Transport is assisted in the management of the portfolio by:

* Minister for Roads, currently Jenny Aitchison, who has responsibility of the development of road infrastructure and road pricing, and taxi and hire car policy and regulation in the metropolitan parts of the state.
* Minister for Regional Transport, currently Jenny Aitchison, who has responsibilities of the development of road infrastructure and road pricing, and taxi and hire car policy and regulation in the regional parts of the state.

Graham was sworn in on 6 February 2025 as Transport Minister and sworn in on 28 March 2023 as Minister for Roads. Aitchison was sworn in on 5 April 2023 as Minister for Regional Transport and Roads. Together, they administer the portfolio through the Department of Transport (Transport for NSW) and a range of other government agencies that coordinate funding arrangements for transport operators, including hundreds of local and community transport operators.[1]

On 17 March 2025, it was announced that Graham would stay on following his Acting tenure as Minister for Transport.[2]

## Role and responsibilities

[edit]

### Minister for Railways (1916–1929)

[edit]

The first public railway line in New South Wales was the Sydney–Parramatta Railway which opened on 26 September 1855.[3] Railways were operated by New South Wales Government Railways which was under the supervision of a single Commissioner for Railways until 1888, 3 commissioners until 1907,[4] before returning to a Chief Commissioner from 1907.[5] The Treasurer had ministerial responsibility for railways.[6]

The portfolio of Minister for Railways was created in the  Holman Nationalist ministry and had operational responsibility for the railways while the Secretary for Public Works had responsibility for authorising expenditure on any new lines or extensions that exceeded £20,000. The separation however was only at a department level as the portfolio was always held by the Secretary for Public Works.[6]

In the second Fuller ministry the portfolio of Labour and Industry was divided up, with the Minister for Railways receiving the additional responsibilities for state industrial enterprises.[7] The portfolio returned to be the Minister for Railways from the first Lang ministry.

### Colonial Treasurer and Minister for Transport (1929–present)

[edit]

On 16 April 1929 Ernest Buttenshaw, the Secretary for Public Works and Minister for Railways, became Acting Premier during the absence of Thomas Bavin and resigned the railways portfolio. The ministerial office was not filled and instead the railways department was administered by the Colonial Treasurer.[8] The operation of railways remained the responsibility of the Treasurer in the third Lang ministry until 22 March 1932. The portfolio of Minister for Transport was created under Ministry of Transport Act No. 3, 1932.[9][10][8]

## List of ministers

[edit]

### Transport

[edit]

The following individuals have been appointed as Ministers for Transport, or similar titles.[9]

Ministerial title | Minister [9] | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Minister for Railways  | Richard Ball |   | Nationalist | Holman (2) | 15 November 1919  | 12 April 1920  | 149 days  |
John Estell |   | Labor | Storey
Dooley (1) | 12 April 1920  | 20 December 1921  | 1 year, 252 days  |
Sir Thomas Henley |   | Nationalist | Fuller (1) | 20 December 1921 a.m.  | 20 December 1921 p.m.  | 7 hours  |
John Estell |   | Labor | Dooley (2) | 20 December 1921  | 13 April 1922  | 114 days  |
Minister for Railways and
State Industrial Enterprises | Sir Thomas Henley |   | Nationalist | Fuller (2) | 13 April 1922  | 19 June 1922  | 67 days  |
Richard Ball | 28 June 1922  | 17 June 1925  | 2 years, 354 days |
Minister for Railways  | Martin Flannery |   | Labor | Lang (1) | 17 June 1925  | 26 May 1927  | 1 year, 343 days  |
Bill Ratcliffe | Lang (2) | 27 May 1927  | 18 October 1927  | 144 days  |
Ernest Buttenshaw |   | Country | Bavin | 18 October 1927  | 16 April 1929  | 1 year, 180 days  |
Minister for Transport  | James McGirr |   | Lang Labor | Lang (3) | 22 March 1932  | 13 May 1932  | 52 days  |
Michael Bruxner |   | Country | Stevens (1) (2) (3)
Mair | 16 May 1932  | 16 May 1941  | 9 years, 3 days  |
Maurice O'Sullivan |   | Labor | McKell (1) (2)
McGirr (1) (2) | 16 May 1941  | 30 June 1950  | 9 years, 45 days  |
Bill Sheahan | McGirr (3)
Cahill (1) | 30 June 1950  | 23 February 1953  | 2 years, 238 days
Clarrie Martin | Cahill (2) | 23 February 1953  | 5 September 1953  | 194 days  |
Joseph Cahill | 7 September 1953  | 16 September 1953  | 9 days  |
Ernest Wetherell | 16 September 1953  | 15 March 1956  | 2 years, 181 days  |
George Enticknap | Cahill (3) (4)
Heffron (1) | 15 March 1956  | 31 May 1960  | 4 years, 76 days  |
John McMahon | Heffron (1) (2)
Renshaw | 31 May 1960  | 13 May 1965  | 4 years, 348 days  |
Milton Morris |   | Liberal | Askin (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) | 13 May 1965  | 3 January 1975  | 9 years, 235 days |
Wal Fife [a] | Lewis (1) | 3 January 1975  | 10 October 1975  | 280 days  |
Max Ruddock [a] | Lewis (1) (2) | 10 October 1975  | 23 January 1976  | 105 days  |
Tim Bruxner [a] |   | Country | Willis | 23 January 1976  | 14 May 1976  | 112 days  |
Peter Cox [b] |   | Labor | Wran (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) | 14 May 1976  | 5 April 1984  | 7 years, 327 days  |
Barrie Unsworth | Wran (7) (8) | 5 April 1984  | 6 February 1986  | 1 year, 307 days  |
Ron Mulock | Unsworth | 6 February 1986  | 26 November 1987  | 1 year, 293 days  |
Terry Sheahan | 26 November 1987  | 21 March 1988  | 116 days  |
Bruce Baird [c] |   | Liberal | Greiner (1) (2)
Fahey (1) (2) (3) | 25 March 1988  | 4 April 1995  | 7 years, 14 days  |
Brian Langton |   | Labor | Carr (1) | 4 April 1995  | 1 December 1997  | 2 years, 241 days  |
Carl Scully | Carr (2) (3) | 1 December 1997  | 2 April 2003  | 5 years, 122 days  |
Minister for Transport Services  | Michael Costa | Carr (4) | 2 April 2003  | 21 January 2005  | 1 year, 294 days  |
Minister for Transport  | John Watkins | Iemma (1) (2) | 21 January 2005  | 8 September 2008  | 3 years, 231 days  |
David Campbell | Rees | 8 September 2008  | 4 December 2009  | 1 year, 254 days  |
Minister for Transport and Roads | Keneally | 8 December 2009  | 20 May 2010
Minister for Transport  | John Robertson | 21 May 2010  | 28 March 2011  | 311 days  |
Gladys Berejiklian |   | Liberal | O'Farrell
Baird (1) | 4 April 2011  | 1 April 2015  | 3 years, 362 days  |
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure | Andrew Constance | Baird (2)
Berejiklian (1) | 2 April 2015  | 2 April 2019  | 6 years, 186 days  |
Minister for Transport and Roads | Berejiklian (2) | 2 April 2019  | 5 October 2021
Rob Stokes | Perrottet (1) | 6 October 2021  | 21 December 2021  | 76 days  |
Minister for Transport  | David Elliott | Perrottet (2) | 21 December 2021  | 28 March 2023  | 1 year, 97 days  | [11]
Jo Haylen |   | Labor | Minns | 28 March 2023  | 6 February 2025  | 1 year, 315 days  |
John Graham | 6 February 2025  | incumbent | 142 days  |

## Former ministerial titles

[edit]

### Assistant ministers

[edit]

The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Ministers with responsibility for assisting or advising the Minister for Transport.

Ministerial title | Minister [9] | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Advisory Minister for Transport  | Arthur Bridges |   | Liberal | Askin (1) (2) | 13 May 1965  | 22 May 1968  | 3 years, 9 days  | [12]
Assistant Minister for Transport  | Terry Sheahan |   | Labor | Wran (3) | 29 February 1980  | 2 October 1981  | 1 year, 216 days  | [13]
Assistant Minister for Transport  | John Akister |   | Labor | Unsworth | 4 July 1986  | 21 March 1988  | 1 year, 261 days  | [14]
Janice Crosio | 26 November 1987  | 116 days  | [15]
Tim Moore |   | Liberal | Greiner (1) | 25 March 1988  | 18 September 1989  | 1 year, 177 days  | [16]
Matt Singleton |   | National | 25 March 1988  | 24 January 1989  | 305 days  | [17]
Robert Webster | 24 January 1989  | 24 July 1990  | 1 year, 181 days  | [18]
Bob Rowland Smith | 18 September 1989  | 24 May 1991  | 1 year, 248 days  | [19]
Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport  | Wendy Machin |   | National | Fahey (3) | 6 October 1993  | 4 April 1995  | 1 year, 180 days  | [20]
Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport  | Eric Roozendaal |   | Labor | Iemma (1) | 26 October 2006  | 2 April 2007  | 158 days  | [21]
Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport  | David Borger |   | Labor | Rees | 14 September 2009  | 4 December 2009  | 81 days  | [22]
Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport and Roads | Keneally | 8 December 2009  | 21 May 2010  | 164 days

### Active Transport

[edit]

Ministerial title | Minister [9] | Party | Ministry | Term start | Term end | Time in office | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Minister for Active Transport  | Rob Stokes |   | Liberal | Perrottet (2) | 21 December 2021  | 28 March 2023  | 1 year, 97 days  | [11]

## See also

[edit]

* New South Wales portal
* Politics portal
* Transport portal

* List of New South Wales government agencies

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Concurrently Minister for Highways
2. ^ Concurrently Minister for Highways until 19 October 1978.
3. ^ Concurrently Minister for Roads from 26 May 1993.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Administrative Arrangements (Minns Ministry--Administration of Acts) Order 2023 (NSW) sch1
2. ^ The Premier; Minns, Chris (17 March 2025). "Changes to the Minns Government Ministry" (Press release). Premier's Department. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
3. ^ "History of Rail in Australia". Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Communications. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020.
4. ^ "AGY-1163 Railway Commissioners of New South Wales". NSW State Records & Archives. Retrieved 19 September 2021.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
5. ^ "AGY-11646 Chief Commissioner of Railways and Tramways". NSW State Records & Archives. Retrieved 19 September 2021.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
6. ^ a b "PFO-16 Railways [I]". NSW State Records & Archives. Retrieved 19 September 2021.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
7. ^ "PFO-17 Railways and State Industrial Enterprises". NSW State Records & Archives. Retrieved 19 September 2021.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
8. ^ a b "PFO-18 Railways [II]". NSW State Records & Archives. Retrieved 19 September 2021.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
9. ^ a b c d e "Part 6 Ministries since 1856" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
10. ^ Ministry of Transport Act 1932 No 3 (NSW)
11. ^ a b "Parliament, Ministerial, Courts and Police" (PDF). 21 December 2021. ISSN 2201-7534. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 April 2023.
12. ^ "Mr Arthur Dalgety Bridges (1901–1968)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
13. ^ "The Hon (Terry) Terence William Sheahan (1947- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
14. ^ "John Akister (1937 - )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
15. ^ "The Hon. Janice Ann Crosio (1939 – )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
16. ^ "Mr (Tim) Timothy John Moore (1948– )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
17. ^ "Mr (Matt) Matthew Singleton". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
18. ^ "The Hon. Robert James Webster (1951- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
19. ^ "The Hon. (Bob) Robert Baron Rowland Smith (1925–2012)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
20. ^ "Ms Wendy Susan Machin (1958- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
21. ^ "The Hon. Eric Michael Roozendaal (1962 - )". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
22. ^ "Mr David Lawrence Borger (1969- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 19 October 2019.

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[edit]

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