Template:Short description
Template:Use dmy dates
Template:Use Australian English
Template:Infobox official post
The Attorney-General of Australia (AG), also known as the Commonwealth Attorney-General,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is the minister of state and chief law officer of the Commonwealth of Australia charged with overseeing federal legal affairs and public security as the head of the Attorney-General’s Department. The current attorney-general is Michelle Rowland, who was chosen by prime minister Anthony Albanese in May 2025 following the 2025 federal election.<ref name="gallagherag">Template:Cite news</ref> By convention, the attorney-general is a lawyer.
The attorney-general is one of only four positions in the Commonwealth Government to have continuously been held since federation, along with the prime minister, the minister for defence and the treasurer.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
History
The attorney-general is nearly always a person with legal training, and eleven former attorneys-general have received senior judicial appointments after their ministerial service.
Billy Hughes was the longest-serving attorney-general of Australia, serving for thirteen and a half years over four non-consecutive terms; this included six years during his own prime ministership.
Historically, the attorney-generalship was seen as a stepping stone to higher office – Alfred Deakin, Billy Hughes, and Robert Menzies all became prime minister, while John Latham, H. V. Evatt, and Billy Snedden were leaders of the opposition. Lionel Bowen was deputy prime minister under Bob Hawke in the 1980s. Additionally, four former attorneys-general have won appointment to the High Court – Isaac Isaacs, H. B. Higgins, John Latham, Garfield Barwick, and Lionel Murphy. Isaacs later became governor-general.
Role and functions
Role
The attorney-general is the minister responsible for legal affairs, national and public security. The attorney-general also serves as a general legal adviser to the Cabinet, and has carriage of legislation dealing with copyright, human rights and a range of other subjects. They are responsible for the Australian Law Reform Commission and the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity.
Functions
Functions of the state and federal attorneys-general include the administration of the selection of persons for nomination to judicial posts and the authorizing of prosecutions. In normal circumstances, the prosecutorial powers of the attorney-general are exercised by the Director of Public Prosecutions and staff; however, the attorney-general maintains formal control—including the power to initiate and terminate public prosecutions and take over private prosecutions.
Statutory criminal law provides that prosecutions for certain offences require the individual consent of the attorney-general. This is generally for offences whose illegality is of a somewhat controversial nature or where there is perceived to be a significant risk that prosecutions of a political nature may be embarked upon. The attorney-general also generally has the power to issue certificates legally conclusive of certain facts (e.g., that the revelation of certain matters in court proceedings might constitute a risk to national security); the facts stated in such certificates must be accepted by the courts and cannot legally be disputed by any parties. The attorney-general also has the power to issue a nolle prosequi with respect to a case, which authoritatively determines that the state (in whose name prosecutions are brought) does not wish to prosecute the case, so preventing any person from doing so.
Relationship with the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
Template:Excerpt
List of attorneys-general
The following individuals have been appointed as attorney-general for Australia:<ref name=parl>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Order
|
Minister
|
Party
|
Prime Minister
|
Prior legal experience
|
Alma mater
|
Term start
|
Term end
|
Term in office
|
| 1
|
Alfred Deakin Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Protectionist
|
Barton
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 2
|
Senator James Drake
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Deakin
|
Barrister
|
King's College School, London
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| 3
|
H. B. Higgins Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
ProtectionistTemplate:Ref
|
Watson
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| 4
|
Senator Sir Josiah Symon, Template:Postnominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Free Trade
|
Reid
|
Barrister
|
Free Church Training College
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| 5
|
Isaac Isaacs Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Protectionist
|
Deakin
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 6
|
Littleton Groom Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Lawyer
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 7
|
Billy Hughes, Template:PostnominalsTemplate:Ref
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Labor
|
Fisher
|
Barrister
|
n/a
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| 8
|
Paddy Glynn, Template:Postnominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Commonwealth
Liberal
|
Deakin
|
Barrister
|
Trinity College Dublin
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| n/a
|
Billy Hughes Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Labor
|
Fisher
|
Barrister
|
n/a
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 9
|
William Irvine Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Commonwealth
Liberal
|
Cook
|
Barrister
|
Trinity College, Dublin; University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| n/a
|
Billy Hughes Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Labor
|
Fisher
|
Barrister
|
n/a
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Hughes
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
National Labor
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Nationalist
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| n/a
|
Sir Littleton Groom, Template:Postnominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Lawyer
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Bruce
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| 10
|
John Latham Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 11
|
Frank Brennan
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Labor
|
Scullin
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| n/a
|
Sir John Latham, Template:Postnominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
United Australia
|
Lyons
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 12
|
Robert Menzies Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| n/a
|
Billy Hughes, Template:Postnominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
n/a
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Page
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Menzies
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Fadden
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| 13
|
H. V. Evatt Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Labor
|
Curtin
|
Barrister, Judge
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Forde
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Chifley
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| 14
|
Senator John Spicer Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Liberal
|
Menzies
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 15
|
Senator Neil O'Sullivan
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Solicitor
|
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 16
|
Sir Garfield Barwick Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 17
|
Billy Snedden Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Western Australia
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Holt
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| 18
|
Nigel Bowen Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
McEwen
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Gorton
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| 19
|
Tom Hughes Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
McMahon
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| n/a
|
Nigel Bowen
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| 20
|
Senator Ivor Greenwood Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 21
|
Gough Whitlam Template:Post-nominalsTemplate:Ref
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Labor
|
Whitlam
|
Barrister
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| 22
|
Senator Lionel Murphy Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 23
|
Kep Enderby Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Sydney
University of London
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| n/a
|
Senator Ivor Greenwood Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Liberal
|
Fraser
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| 24
|
Bob Ellicott Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 25
|
Senator Peter Durack Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Western Australia
Lincoln College, Oxford
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 26
|
Senator Gareth Evans Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Labor
|
Hawke
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
Magdalen College, Oxford
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 27
|
Lionel Bowen
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Solicitor
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 28
|
Michael Duffy, Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Solicitor
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Keating
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| 29
|
Duncan KerrTemplate:Ref
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Labor
|
Keating
|
Barrister
|
University of Tasmania
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| 30
|
Michael Lavarch
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Solicitor
|
Queensland University of Technology
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 31
|
Daryl Williams, Template:Postnominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Liberal
|
Howard
|
Barrister
|
University of Western Australia
Wadham College, Oxford
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 32
|
Philip Ruddock
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Solicitor
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 33
|
Robert McClelland
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Labor
|
Rudd
|
Solicitor
|
University of New South Wales
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Gillard
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| 34
|
Nicola Roxon
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Solicitor
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 35
|
Mark Dreyfus Template:Post-nominals
|
Template:Australian party style|
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in days days
|
| Template:Australian party style|
|
Rudd
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| 36
|
Senator George Brandis Template:Post-nominals
|
rowspan="5" Template:Australian party style |
|
Liberal
|
Abbott
|
Barrister
|
University of Queensland; Magdalen College, Oxford
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Turnbull
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| 37
|
Christian Porter
|
Lawyer
|
University of Western Australia, London School of Economics
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| Morrison
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
| 38
|
Senator Michaelia Cash
|
Solicitor
|
Curtin University; University of London; University of Western Australia
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| n/a
|
Senator Katy Gallagher Template:Ref
|
rowspan=3 Template:Australian party style |
|
Labor
|
Albanese
|
n/a
|
Australian National University
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 39
|
Mark Dreyfus Template:Post-nominals
|
Barrister
|
University of Melbourne
|
Template:Start date
|
Template:End date
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
| 40
|
Michelle Rowland
|
Lawyer
|
University of Sydney
|
Template:Start date
|
Incumbent
|
Template:Age in years and days
|
Notes
- Template:Ref A member of the Protectionist Party, Higgins served in the Labor ministry of Chris Watson, because Labor had no suitably qualified lawyer in Parliament.
- Template:Ref Hughes took silk in 1909, and became a King's Counsel.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Ref Whitlam served as part of a two-man ministry together with Lance Barnard for fourteen days, until the full ministry was commissioned.
- Template:Ref Prime Minister Paul Keating's original choice for Attorney-General in 1993 had been Michael Lavarch, but Lavarch's re-election was delayed by the death of an opposing candidate for the seat of Dickson; Duncan Kerr held the portfolio in the interim until Lavarch won the resulting supplementary election. Kerr served as Attorney-General for 26 days. There was no Attorney-General for the eight days between Duffy's commission ending on 24 March 1993 and Kerr's commission commencing on 1 April 1993.
- Template:Ref Gallagher served as part of an interim five-person ministry for nine days, until the full ministry was commissioned.
List of ministers for justice
Template:Excerpt
Parliamentary secretaries
While previously there existed informal titles for junior ministers, since 1980 they have been officially designated parliamentary-secretaries.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> They have also been titled assistant minister and minister assisting. Parliamentary-secretaries to the attorney-general are listed below.
In 2022, Matt Thistlethwaite was titled the Assistant Minister for the Republic and was tasked with promoting the Albanese government's policy of establishing of a republic.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ministry">Template:Cite web</ref> However, he was also formally the Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney-General.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Attorneys-general of the states and territories
The Australian states each have separate attorneys-general, who are state ministers with similar responsibilities to the federal minister with respect to state law. For attorneys-general of the various states and territories of Australia, see:
See also
References
Template:Reflist
External links
Template:Commons category
Template:Australian Attorneys-General
Template:Australian federal ministerial portfolios