Acting minister arrangements: 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026

On this page

  1. Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
  2. Attorney-General’s
  3. Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
  4. Defence
  5. Education
  6. Employment and Workplace Relations
  7. Finance
  8. Foreign Affairs and Trade
  9. Health, Disability and Ageing
  10. Home Affairs
  11. Industry, Science and Resources
  12. Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
  13. Prime Minister and Cabinet
  14. Social Services
  15. Treasury
  16. Veterans’ Affairs
Back to top

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Nil

Back to top

Attorney-General’s

Nil

Back to top

Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
Watt20 December 20254 January 2026Bowen
Back to top

Defence

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
Conroy25 December 202518 January 2026Marles
Keogh2 January 202618 January 2026Marles
Marles11 February 202616 February 2026Conroy
Marles17 February 202619 February 2026Conroy
Conroy21 February 202628 February 2026Keogh
Marles11 March 202613 March 2026Conroy
Back to top

Education

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
Clare23 December 202516 January 2026Bowen
Walsh25 December 202517 January 2026Bowen
Back to top

Employment and Workplace Relations

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
Giles28 December 202517 January 2026McBain
Rishworth4 January 202616 January 2026Farrell
Back to top

Finance

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
Gallagher5 January 202610 January 2026Chalmers (Public Service, Finance and Government Services)
C King (Women)
Farrell23 January 202628 January 2026Rishworth
Farrell10 February 202614 February 2026Rishworth
Farrell24 February 20261 March 2026Rishworth
Back to top

Foreign Affairs and Trade

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
Wong24 December 202511 January 2026Ayres (24 December 2025 to 4 January 2026)
Watt (5 to 11 January 2026)
Conroy25 December 202518 January 2026Marles
Aly26 December 202518 January 2026Plibersek
Farrell23 January 202628 January 2026Rishworth
Wong5 February 20267 February 2026Watt
Farrell10 February 202614 February 2026Rishworth
Conroy21 February 202628 February 2026Keogh
Wong24 February 202626 February 2026Watt
Farrell24 February 20261 March 2026Rishworth
Back to top

Health, Disability and Ageing

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
Rae18 December 20252 January 2026Butler (18 to 21 December 2025 and 1 January 2026)
Burke (22 to 24 December 2025)
Gallagher (25 to 31 December 2025 and 2 January 2026)
Butler22 December 20251 January 2026Burke (22 to 24 December 2025)
Gallagher (25 December 2025 to 1 January 2026)
McAllister22 December 20255 January 2026Burke (22 to 24 December 2025)
Gallagher (25 to 31 December 2025 and 2 January 2026) 
Butler (1 January and 3 to 5 January 2026)
McAllister13 January 202616 January 2026Butler
Butler26 January 202628 January 2026McAllister
Back to top

Home Affairs

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
Aly26 December 202518 January 2026Plibersek
Burke27 January 202630 January 2026Rowland
Back to top

Industry, Science and Resources

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
M King13 December 20259 January 2026Ayres (13 December 2025 to 4 January 2026)
Rowland (5 to 9 January 2026)
Ayres5 January 202618 January 2026Farrell (5 to 9 January 2026)
M King (10 to 18 January 2026)
M King1 February 20266 February 2026Rishworth
M King13 March 202617 March 2026Ayres
Back to top

Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
M King13 December 20259 January 2026Ayres (13 December 2025 to 4 January 2026)
Rowland (5 to 9 January 2026)
Wells22 December 202516 January 2026C King
Burke27 January 202630 January 2026Rowland
M King1 February 20266 February 2026Rishworth
M King13 March 202617 March 2026Ayres
Back to top

Prime Minister and Cabinet

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
McCarthy28 December 202518 January 2026Rowland
Gallagher5 January 202618 January 2026Chalmers (Public Service, Finance and Government Services)
C King (Women)
Albanese28 January 202629 January 2026Marles
Albanese5 February 20267 February 2026Marles
Back to top

Social Services

Nil

Back to top

Treasury

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
Chalmers22 December 20254 January 2026Gallagher
Aly26 December 202518 January 2026Plibersek
Mulino29 December 202518 January 2026Rowland
O'Neil5 January 202618 January 2026Chalmers
Chalmers11 January 202614 January 2026Gallagher
Back to top

Veterans’ Affairs

MinisterStart dateEnd dateActing Minister
Keogh2 January 202618 January 2026Marles

Note: In practice, acting arrangements begin from a specific time on a day. This may result in more than one minister being listed as acting on a particular day.

Back to top