Minister for Culture and the Arts (Western Australia)

The Minister for Culture and the Arts is a position in the Cabinet of Western Australia. It was first created in 1971, during the Tonkin government, under the title Minister for Cultural Affairs. That title was retained until 1983, when the title Minister for the Arts was adopted. The current title was adopted in 2001.

The current Minister for Culture and the Arts is John Day of the Liberal Party, who holds the position as a member of the Barnett Ministry. The minister, who generally also holds other portfolios, is responsible for the state government's Department of Culture and the Arts.

List of Ministers for Culture and the Arts

Thirteen people have been appointed as Minister for Culture and the Arts or equivalent. Sheila McHale, who served in both the Gallop and Carpenter governments, held the position for the longest period, 7 years and 220 days. David Parker had two non-consecutive terms as minister, initially in the Burke government and then across the Dowding and Lawrence governments, although he served for just over three years.^[1]

In the table below, members of the Legislative Council are designated "MLC". All others were members of the Legislative Assembly at the time of their service. In Western Australia, serving ministers are entitled to be styled "The Honourable", and may retain the style after three years' service in the ministry.^[2]

Order	Minister	Party		Premier	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	John Tonkin		Labor	Tonkin	Minister for Cultural Affairs	3 March 1971	8 April 1974	3 years, 36 days
2	Graham MacKinnon MLC		Liberal	C. Court		8 April 1974	10 March 1977	2 years, 336 days
3	Peter Jones		National Country			10 March 1977	5 March 1980	2 years, 361 days
4	Bill Grayden		Liberal			5 March 1980	25 January 1982	1 year, 326 days
5	Bob Pike MLC			O'Connor		25 January 1982	25 February 1983	1 year, 31 days
6	Ron Davies		Labor	Burke	Minister for the Arts	25 February 1983	26 February 1986	3 years, 1 day
7	David Parker					26 February 1986	25 February 1988	see below
8	Yvonne Henderson			Dowding		25 February 1988	28 February 1989	1 year, 3 days
(7)	David Parker					28 February 1989	12 February 1990	3 years, 54 days
				Lawrence		12 February 1990	24 April 1990
9	Kay Hallahan MLC					24 April 1990	16 February 1993	2 years, 298 days
10	Peter Foss MLC		Liberal	R. Court		16 February 1993	22 December 1999	6 years, 309 days
11	Mike Board					22 December 1999	16 February 2001	1 year, 56 days
12	Sheila McHale		Labor	Gallop	Minister for Culture and the Arts	16 February 2001	25 January 2006	7 years, 220 days
				Carpenter		25 January 2006	23 September 2008
13	John Day		Liberal	Barnett		23 September 2008	7 December 2016	8 years, 75 days

References

1. Electoral Affairs Ministry of Western Australia – Parliamentary Library of Western Australia. Last updated 29 June 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
2. Addressing a Member of Parliament – Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 10 March 2015.