The Australian minister for the environment and water is a position which is currently held by Murray Watt in the Albanese ministry since 13 May 2025, following the Australian federal election in 2025.
In the Government of Australia, the minister and assistant minister are responsible for the protection and conservation of the environment; to ensure that Australia benefits from meteorological and related sciences and services; and to see that Australia's interests in Antarctica are advanced. The minister provides direction and oversight of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (previously the Department of the Environment and Energy, and before that the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities) to develop and implement national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve Australia's environment and heritage.
Contents
Portfolio responsibilities
The minister administers their portfolio through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and its environment component bodies, including:
Antarctic Animal Ethics Committee
Antarctic Ethics Committee (Human Experimentation)
Antarctic Research Assessment Committees (ARACs)
Antarctic Science Advisory Committee
Australia-Netherlands Committee on Old Dutch Shipwrecks
Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee
Australian Heritage Council
Bureau of Meteorology
Environment Protection and Heritage Council
Great Barrier Reef Consultative Committee
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Council
Great Barrier Reef Structural Adjustment Package Technical Advisory Committee
Hazardous Waste Technical Group
Murray-Darling Basin Authority
National Environment Protection Council
National Environmental Education Council
List of ministers
Environment
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for the Environment, or any precedent titles:
Notes
1 Whitlam was one of a two-man ministry consisting of himself and Lance Barnard for two weeks until the full ministry was announced.
Water
The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Water, or any precedent titles:
Former ministerial portfolios
Assistant ministers
List of assistant ministers for the environment
The following individual has served as the Assistant Minister for the Environment.
List of assistant ministers for water
The following individual has served as the Assistant Minister for Water.