Minister without portfolio or Honorary Minister was the title given to a member of the Cabinet who did not have responsibility for a department or portfolio. They were not paid in addition to their allowance as a member of parliament. The title was first used in the Lyne ministry in 1901 when Paddy Crick ceased to be Postmaster-General as a result of the Federation of Australia and remained in the Cabinet until he was appointed Secretary for Lands in the See ministry. The first people appointed without a portfolio were James Hayes, and Walter Bennett in the See ministry. The ministers without a portfolio were often given specific responsibilities using section 36 of the Constitution of New South Wales under which the Governor could authorise any member of the cabinet to perform the duties of another minister, except for the Attorney General.Constitution Act 1902 (NSW) s 36 as made. The title was last used in the third Cahill ministry. From 1959 the title "minister assisting ..." or "assistant minister ..." has been used.
List of ministers ResponsibilitiesMinisterPartyMinistryTerm startTerm endTime in officeNotes
Lyne 1 March 1901 10 April 1901
See 11 April 1901 14 June 1904
16 April 1901
24 March 1903
Assisting Treasurer
Carruthers 29 August 1904 1 October 1907
12 June 1905
Wade 2 October 1907 25 June 1909
20 October 1910
McGowen 21 October 1910 10 September 1911
Assisting Minister of Agriculture 6 November 1911
10 November 1911 26 November 1911
Assistant Treasurer Holman (1) 29 January 1914 31 October 1916
15 March 1915 1 June 1915
Holman (2) 18 July 1919 9 February 1920
Acting Minister of Public Health 15 November 1916 18 July 1919
Premier 30 October 1918 12 April 1920
Assisting Secretary for Lands 9 February 1920 12 April 1920
Assisting Minister of Agriculture Assistant Minister of Justice
Storey 12 April 1920 21 December 1920
Assistant Treasurer
Lang (1) 17 June 1925 7 June 1927
Lang (2) 19 September 1927 18 October 1927
Bavin 18 October 1927 15 April 1929
Assistant Treasurer
Stevens (1) (2) 18 June 1932 21 August 1935
Assistant Minister in the Legislative Council 13 April 1938
Assisting the Minister for Labour and Industry Herbert Hawkins Stevens (1) 5 January 1933
Assistant Colonial Secretary Stevens (1) (2) 5 January 1933 21 August 1935
Stevens (1) 15 February 1933 10 February 1935
Stevens (2) 22 August 1935 13 April 1938
2 April 1937
29 June 1937 31 January 1938
13 April 1938 1 June 1938
13 October 1938
Stevens (2) Mair 26 June 1939 16 May 1941
Stevens (2) 5 August 1939
Mair 5 September 1939 16 May 1941
McKell (1) 16 May 1941 8 June 1944
McKell (2) 8 June 1944 9 May 1946
6 February 1947
25 February 1946 9 May 1946
McGirr (1) (2) 6 February 1947 9 March 1948
McGirr (2) 15 September 1949 21 September 1949 McGirr (3) 30 June 1950 2 April 1952 Cahill (1) 3 April 1952 3 November 1952
3 November 1952 23 February 1953
Cahill (2) 23 February 1953 2 September 1954
16 September 1953
16 September 1953 1 July 1954
10 May 1954 15 March 1956
1 July 1954
Cahill (3) 15 March 1956 22 November 1957
14 November 1957 1 April 1959 Minister Assisting the Premier and Treasurer Cahill (4) 1 April 1959 28 October 1959 Minister Assisting the Premier
Wran (1) (2) 14 May 1976 29 February 1980
, MLC Wran (2) 19 October 1978
Minister Assisting the Premier
Wran (7) 6 February 1985 1 January 1986
References