Minister for Multicultural Affairs (Australia)

StyleThe Honourable

AppointerGovernor-General
on the advice of the prime minister

Inaugural holderMichael MacKellar (as Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs)

Formation22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)

Minister for Multicultural Affairs
Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Flag of Australia
Incumbent Anne Aly since 13 May 2025 (2025-05-13)
Department of Home Affairs
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	Governor-General on the advice of the prime minister
Inaugural holder	Michael MacKellar (as Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs)
Formation	22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)
Website	minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/AnneAly/Pages/Welcome.aspx

The Minister for Multicultural Affairs is an Australian Government cabinet position which is currently held by Anne Aly following her swearing-in on 13 May 2025 as a result of Anthony Albanese's Labor government being re-elected at the 2025 Australian federal election.

The post was created in 1975 by being added to the Immigration portfolio with Michael MacKellar being the inaugural officeholder as the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. It was a cabinet position throughout the Fraser, Hawke and Keating governments. In Howard's first ministry, the portfolio took its current name of multicultural affairs and was dropped to the outer ministry. It returned to cabinet in the second Howard ministry and remained there until the end of the Howard government. Philip Ruddock, became the longest serving minister during this time, serving in the role between 1996 and 2003. Multicultural affairs was managed at the parliamentary secretary level during the first Rudd and first Gillard ministries. Midway through the second Gillard ministry, Kate Lundy was promoted from parliamentary secretary to the outer ministry and during the short lived second Rudd ministry, the portfolio was both in cabinet managed by Tony Burke and the outer ministry with Lundy. The return of the Coalition to government in 2013, saw the portfolio dropped altogether until Turnbull's first ministry where an assistant minister was appointed. The role returned to the outer ministry halfway into to Turnbull's second and remained there until July 2024, when after a 11-year absence it was converted back into a cabinet post with Tony Burke returning to his former role as Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. In the second Albanese ministry, immigration and multicultural affairs were split into two cabinets roles with Anne Aly currently serving as the minister.