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.
On 17 March 2025, it was announced that Graham would stay on following his Acting tenure as Minister for Transport.
Role and responsibilities Minister for Railways (1916–1929) The first public railway line in New South Wales was the Sydney–Parramatta Railway which opened on 26 September 1855. 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, before returning to a Chief Commissioner from 1907. The Treasurer had ministerial responsibility for railways.
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.
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. The portfolio returned to be the Minister for Railways from the first Lang ministry.
Colonial Treasurer and Minister for Transport (1929–present) 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. 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.
List of ministers Transport The following individuals have been appointed as Ministers for Transport, or similar titles. Ministerial title Minister Party Ministry Term start Term end Time in office NotesMinister for Railways Holman (2) 15 November 1919 12 April 1920 StoreyDooley (1) 12 April 1920 20 December 1921 Fuller (1) 20 December 1921 a.m. 20 December 1921 p.m. 7 hours Dooley (2) 20 December 1921 13 April 1922 Minister for Railways andState Industrial Enterprises Fuller (2) 13 April 1922 19 June 1922 28 June 1922 17 June 1925 Minister for Railways Lang (1) 17 June 1925 26 May 1927 Lang (2) 27 May 1927 18 October 1927 Bavin 18 October 1927 16 April 1929 Minister for Transport Lang (3) 22 March 1932 13 May 1932 Stevens (1) (2) (3)Mair 16 May 1932 16 May 1941 McKell (1) (2)McGirr (1) (2) 16 May 1941 30 June 1950 McGirr (3)Cahill (1) 30 June 1950 23 February 1953 Cahill (2) 23 February 1953 5 September 1953 7 September 1953 16 September 1953 16 September 1953 15 March 1956 Cahill (3) (4)Heffron (1) 15 March 1956 31 May 1960 Heffron (1) (2)Renshaw 31 May 1960 13 May 1965 Askin (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) 13 May 1965 3 January 1975 Lewis (1) 3 January 1975 10 October 1975 Lewis (1) (2) 10 October 1975 23 January 1976 Willis 23 January 1976 14 May 1976 Wran (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) 14 May 1976 5 April 1984 Wran (7) (8) 5 April 1984 6 February 1986 Unsworth 6 February 1986 26 November 1987 26 November 1987 21 March 1988 Greiner (1) (2)Fahey (1) (2) (3) 25 March 1988 4 April 1995 Carr (1) 4 April 1995 1 December 1997 Carr (2) (3) 1 December 1997 2 April 2003 Minister for Transport Services Carr (4) 2 April 2003 21 January 2005 Minister for Transport Iemma (1) (2) 21 January 2005 8 September 2008 Rees 8 September 2008 4 December 2009 Minister for Transport and RoadsKeneally 8 December 2009 20 May 2010Minister for Transport 21 May 2010 28 March 2011 O'FarrellBaird (1) 4 April 2011 1 April 2015 Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Baird (2)Berejiklian (1) 2 April 2015 2 April 2019 Minister for Transport and Roads Berejiklian (2) 2 April 2019 5 October 2021 Perrottet (1) 6 October 2021 21 December 2021 Minister for Transport Perrottet (2) 21 December 2021 28 March 2023 Minns 28 March 2023 6 February 2025 John Graham6 February 2025 incumbent
Former ministerial titles Assistant ministers The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Ministers with responsibility for assisting or advising the Minister for Transport.
Ministerial title Minister Party Ministry Term start Term end Time in office Notes Advisory Minister for Transport Askin (1) (2) 13 May 1965 22 May 1968 Assistant Minister for Transport Wran (3) 29 February 1980 2 October 1981 Assistant Minister for Transport Unsworth 4 July 1986 21 March 1988 26 November 1987 Greiner (1) 25 March 1988 18 September 1989 25 March 1988 24 January 1989 24 January 1989 24 July 1990 18 September 1989 24 May 1991 Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport Fahey (3) 6 October 1993 4 April 1995 Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport Iemma (1) 26 October 2006 2 April 2007 Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport Rees 14 September 2009 4 December 2009 Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport and Roads Keneally 8 December 2009 21 May 2010
Active Transport Ministerial title Minister Party Ministry Term start Term end Time in office Notes Minister for Active Transport Rob Stokes Perrottet (2) 21 December 2021 28 March 2023
See also
List of New South Wales government agencies
Notes
References
External links Transport for NSW