The New South Wales Minister for the Environment is a ministerial position in the Government of New South Wales with responsibilities including environmental policy and regulation, management of the state’s national parks, and the conservation and protection of built and environmental heritage in New South Wales, Australia. The current minister, since 28 March 2023, is Penny Sharpe.
Between the 2019 state election and December 2021, the ministerial post was merged with the Energy and Utilities portfolio to create the Minister for Energy and Environment. Between December 2021 and March 2023, the environment ministerial post was combined with heritage to create the title of Minister for the Environment and Heritage.
The minister administers the portfolio through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and a range of other government agencies.
Ultimately, the minister is responsible to the Parliament of New South Wales.
List of ministers Environment Ministerial title Minister Party Ministry Term start Term end Time in office Notes Minister for Environmental Control Askin (4) (5) 11 March 1971 3 December 1973 Minister for Planning and Environment Askin (6) 3 December 1973 14 May 1976 Minister for Environment Wran (1) 14 May 1976 9 August 1976 Minister for Planning and Environment Wran (1) (2) 9 August 1976 29 February 1980 Wran (3) (4) (5) 29 February 1980 10 February 1984 Wran (6) 10 February 1984 12 December 1984 Wran (7) (8)Unsworth 12 December 1984 21 March 1988 Minister for the Environment Greiner (1) (2) 25 March 1988 24 June 1992 Fahey (1) 24 June 1992 3 July 1992 Fahey (2) (3) 3 July 1992 4 April 1995 Carr (1) (2) 4 April 1995 8 April 1999 Carr (3) (4)Iemma (1) 8 April 1999 2 April 2007 Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water Iemma (2) 2 April 2007 27 February 2008 Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Iemma (2) 27 February 2008 5 September 2008 Rees 8 September 2008 14 September 2009 14 September 2009 4 December 2009 Keneally 8 December 2009 28 March 2011 Minister for the Environment O'Farrell 3 April 2011 23 April 2014 Baird (1) 23 April 2014 2 April 2015 Baird (2) 2 April 2015 30 January 2017 Berejiklian (1) 30 January 2017 23 March 2019 Minister for Energy and Environment Berejiklian (2)Perrottet (1) 2 April 2019 21 December 2021 Minister for Environment and Heritage Perrottet (2) 21 December 2021 28 March 2023 Minister for the Environment Minns 28 March 2023 incumbent
Former ministerial titles Conservation Ministerial title Minister Party Ministry Term start Term end Time in office Notes Minister for Conservation McKell (1) 8 June 1944 9 May 1946 McKell (1) (2)McGirr (1) (2) (3) 9 May 1946 3 November 1952 McGirr (3)Cahill (1) (2) 3 November 1952 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) 13 May 1965 11 March 1971 Askin (4) 11 March 1971 19 June 1972 Askin (4) (5) (6) 19 June 1972 3 January 1975 Minister for Conservation Wran (1) (2) 14 May 1976 29 February 1980 Minister for Conservation and Land Management Greiner (1) (2)Fahey (1) (2) 6 June 1991 26 May 1993 Minister for Land and Water Conservation Fahey (3) 26 May 1993 4 April 1995 Carr (1) 4 April 1995 1 December 1997 1 December 1997 21 November 2001 Carr (2) (3) 21 November 2001 2 April 2003
References
External links Office of Environment and Heritage