Minister for Veterans' Affairs

The portfolio was created by Billy Hughes. It was called Minister for Repatriation from the appointment of the first Minister, Edward Millen on 28 September 1917 to deal with ex-soldiers returning from World War I. Stanley Bruce chose not to include a Minister for Repatriation in his ministry (1923–29), but his successor James Scullin restored it, and it has continued ever since, under different names. Gough Whitlam changed the portfolio title to Minister for Repatriation and Compensation in 1974; Malcolm Fraser restored it to its original title in 1975, and then changed it to Minister for Veterans' Affairs on 5 October 1976, Peter Durack being the last minister under the old title and the first under the new.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Veterans' Affairs, or any of its precedent titles:^[2]

Notes

¹ Barnard was part of a two-man ministry that comprised Barnard and Gough Whitlam for fourteen days, until the full ministry was commissioned.

²Malcolm Fraser initially chose Senator Glen Sheil for the portfolio, and he was sworn in as a member of the Federal Executive Council. But before he was sworn in as a minister, Sheil professed his support for the South Africanapartheid regime, which was very much at odds with the Fraser government's position. Fraser decided not to proceed with Sheil’s appointment to the Ministry, and his appointment as an Executive Councillor was terminated. Garland was appointed in his place.

Between 1932 and 1938 there was also a Minister in charge of War Service Homes, responsible for the War Service Homes Scheme. This position was revived with Herbert Collett's appointment as Minister without portfolio administering War Service Homes in 1939, but was subsumed by Bert Lazzarini's appointment as Minister for Works and Housing in 1945.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister in charge of War Service Homes, or any of its precedent titles:^[2]