Minister for Community Services is a position in the government of Western Australia, currently held by Matthew Swinbourn of the Labor Party. The position was first created after the 1943 state election, for the government of John Willcock. It was abolished in 1947 and not recreated until 1971, but has existed in most governments since then. The minister is one of the ministers responsible for the state government's Department of Local Government and Communities.
Between 1986 and 2001 there was a separate minister titled either Minister for the Family or Minister for Family and Children's Services, whose responsibilities are now held by the Minister for Community Services.
List of community services ministers Titles 9 December 1943 – 1 April 1947: Minister for Social Services 3 March 1971 – 25 February 1983: Minister for Community Welfare 25 February 1983 – 7 September 1992: Minister for Community Services 7 September 1992 – 13 December 2006: Minister for Community Development 13 December 2006 – 23 September 2008: Minister for Communities 23 September 2008 – present: Minister for Community Services
Term start Term end Minister Party 9 December 1943 1 April 1947 John Tonkin Labor 1947–1971: no minister – responsibilities held by other ministers 3 March 1971 7 February 1973 Bill Willesee Labor 7 February 1973 8 April 1974 Ronald Thompson Labor 8 April 1974 20 May 1975 Norm Baxter National Country 20 May 1975 5 June 1975 Graham MacKinnon Liberal 5 June 1975 10 March 1977 Norm Baxter National Country 10 March 1977 25 August 1978 Alan Ridge Liberal 25 August 1978 5 March 1980 Ray Young Liberal 5 March 1980 25 January 1982 Bill Hassell Liberal 25 January 1982 14 May 1982 Ray Young Liberal 14 May 1982 25 February 1983 Richard Shalders Liberal 25 February 1983 25 February 1986 Keith Wilson Labor 25 February 1986 28 February 1989 Kay Hallahan Labor 28 February 1989 5 February 1991 David Smith Labor 5 February 1991 16 February 1993 Eric Ripper Labor 16 February 1993 29 June 1995 Roger Nicholls Liberal 1995–2001: no minister – responsibilities held by other ministers 16 February 2001 3 February 2006 Sheila McHale Labor 3 February 2006 2 March 2007 David Templeman Labor 2 March 2007 23 September 2008 Sue Ellery Labor 23 September 2008 21 March 2013 Robyn McSweeney Liberal 21 March 2013 20 September 2016 Tony Simpson Liberal 22 September 2016 17 March 2017 Paul Miles Liberal 17 March 2017 14 December 2022 Simone McGurk Labor14 December 202219 March 2025Sabine Winton Labor19 March 2025 IncumbentMatthew Swinbourn Labor
List of family ministers Titles 25 February 1986 – 29 June 1995: Minister for the Family 29 June 1995 – 16 February 2001: Minister for Family and Children's Services
Term start Term end Minister Party 25 February 1986 19 February 1990 Kay Hallahan Labor 19 February 1990 7 September 1992 Carmen Lawrence Labor 7 September 1992 16 February 1993 Eric Ripper Labor 16 February 1993 21 December 1995 Roger Nicholls Liberal 21 December 1995 9 January 1997 Cheryl Edwardes Liberal 9 January 1997 22 December 1999 Rhonda Parker Liberal 22 December 1999 16 February 2001 June van de Klashorst Liberal
See also Minister for Child Protection (Western Australia) Minister for Disability Services (Western Australia) Minister for Health (Western Australia) Minister for Housing (Western Australia) Minister for Local Government (Western Australia)
References David Black (2014), The Western Australian Parliamentary Handbook (Twenty-Third Edition). Perth [W.A.]: Parliament of Western Australia.