Vice-President of the Executive Council

For the former Irish office, see Vice-President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State.

Vice-President of the Executive Council
Incumbent George Brandis since 18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holder	Richard O'Connor
Formation	1 January 1901 (1901-01-01)

The Vice-President of the Federal Executive Council is a position in the Government of Australia, whose holder acts as presiding officer of the Federal Executive Council in the absence of the Governor-General.

The Vice-President of the Federal Executive Council is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Vice-President is usually a senior minister and may summon executive councillors and preside at Council meetings when the Governor-General is not present. However, the Vice-President cannot sign Executive Council documents on behalf of the Governor-General.

Since 19 September 2013, the Vice-President of the Federal Executive Council has been the Honourable George Brandis QC .

Duties and history

As the duties of the post are not rigorous, it is usually given to a Member of the Cabinet, and no additional salary or allowance is paid. In this sense, it is usually not a 'Minister without portfolio' such as the equivalent position, Lord President of the Council, is in the United Kingdom, although it has sometimes been used thus in the past (many of the earlier Vice-Presidents, and some of the later ones, such as Dame Enid Lyons in the First Menzies Ministry and Sir James Killen in the Third Fraser Ministry, served in the post without holding another portfolio simultaneously).

A small Department of the Vice-President of the Executive Council existed from 22 March to 31 May 1971, during the premiership of William McMahon. It was administered by Sir Alan Hulme, who was also Postmaster-General. James Killen was controversially appointed to this office in 1982. He held no Ministerial portfolio, but was nevertheless considered a member of the Fraser Ministry by virtue only of this office. A small Department of the Vice-President of the Executive Council was recreated, which was administered by him. The appointment was controversial because it was seen as a sinecure given that he held no Ministerial portfolio, as the cabinet appointment entitled him to receive a ministerial salary. The Department was abolished in 1983 by the incoming prime minister Bob Hawke.

Colonial and state governments

Prior to the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901, colonial and state governments, including the Colony of New South Wales also appointed a Vice-President of the Executive Council. The first New South Wales appointment was made on 3 October 1856 in the Parker ministry of the first elected colonial government. The New South Wales government currently retains the title for a senior government minister, presently held by the Honourable Michael Gallacher MP .

List of Vice-Presidents of the Executive Council

The following individuals have been appointed as Vice-President of the Executive Council:

Order	Minister	Party		Prime Minister	Substantive portfolios	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Senator Richard O'Connor		Protectionist	Barton	–	1 January 1901 (1901-01-01)	24 September 1903 (1903-09-24)
2	Senator Thomas Playford			Deakin	–	24 September 1903 (1903-09-24)	27 April 1904 (1904-04-27)	days
3	Senator Gregor McGregor		Labor	Watson	–	27 April 1904 (1904-04-27)	17 August 1904 (1904-08-17)	days
4	Senator James Drake		Protectionist	Reid	–	17 August 1904 (1904-08-17)	5 July 1905 (1905-07-05)	days
5	Thomas Ewing		Protectionist	Deakin	–	5 July 1905 (1905-07-05)	12 October 1906 (1906-10-12)
6	Senator John Keating				Home Affairs	12 October 1906 (1906-10-12)	30 July 1907 (1907-07-30)	days
7	Senator Robert Best				–	30 July 1907 (1907-07-30)	13 November 1908 (1908-11-13)
n/a	Senator Gregor McGregor		Labor	Fisher	–	13 November 1908 (1908-11-13)	2 June 1909 (1909-06-02)	days
8	Senator Edward Millen		Commonwealth Liberal	Deakin	–	2 June 1909 (1909-06-02)	29 April 1910 (1910-04-29)	days
n/a	Senator Gregor McGregor		Labor	Fisher	–	29 April 1910 (1910-04-29)	24 June 1913 (1913-06-24)
9	Senator James McColl		Commonwealth Liberal	Cook	–	24 June 1913 (1913-06-24)	17 September 1914 (1914-09-17)
10	Senator Albert Gardiner		Labor	Fisher	–	17 September 1914 (1914-09-17)	27 October 1915 (1915-10-27)
				Hughes	–	27 October 1915 (1915-10-27)	27 October 1916 (1916-10-27)
11	William Spence		National Labor	Hughes	–	14 November 1916 (1916-11-14)	17 February 1917 (1917-02-17)	days
n/a	Senator Edward Millen		Nationalist		Repatriation	17 February 1917 (1917-02-17)	10 January 1918 (1918-01-10)	days
12	Littleton Groom				–	10 January 1918 (1918-01-10)	27 March 1918 (1918-03-27)	days
13	Senator Edward Russell				–	27 March 1918 (1918-03-27)	21 December 1921 (1921-12-21)
14	Senator John Earle				–	21 December 1921 (1921-12-21)	5 February 1923 (1923-02-05)
15	Llewellyn Atkinson		Country	Bruce	–	5 February 1923 (1923-02-05)	18 June 1926 (1926-06-18)
16	Senator George Pearce		Nationalist		–	18 June 1926 (1926-06-18)	22 October 1929 (1929-10-22)
17	Senator John Daly		Labor	Scullin	Defence (4 February 1931 (1931-02-04)–3 March 1931 (1931-03-03))	22 October 1929 (1929-10-22)	3 March 1931 (1931-03-03)
18	Senator John Barnes				–	3 March 1931 (1931-03-03)	6 January 1932 (1932-01-06)	days
19	Senator Alexander McLachlan		UAP	Lyons	Development and Scientific and Industrial Research	6 January 1932 (1932-01-06)	12 October 1934 (1934-10-12)
20	Billy Hughes				Health; Repatriation	12 October 1934 (1934-10-12)	6 November 1935 (1935-11-06)
21	Joseph Lyons				Prime Minister	6 November 1935 (1935-11-06)	29 November 1937 (1937-11-29)
n/a	Billy Hughes				External Affairs; Territories	29 November 1937 (1937-11-29)	7 November 1938 (1938-11-07)	days
22	Senator George McLeay				–	7 November 1938 (1938-11-07)	7 April 1939 (1939-04-07)	days
				Page	–	7 April 1939 (1939-04-07)	26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)
23	James Fairbairn			Menzies	Civil Aviation (26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)–26 January 1940 (1940-01-26)); Air (13 November 1939 (1939-11-13)–26 January 1940 (1940-01-26))	26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)	26 January 1940 (1940-01-26)	days
24	Percy Spender				–	26 January 1940 (1940-01-26)	14 March 1940 (1940-03-14)	days
25	Henry Gullett				Scientific and Industrial Research; War Service Homes	14 March 1940 (1940-03-14)	13 August 1940 (1940-08-13)	days
26	Senator Herbert Collett					14 August 1940 (1940-08-14)	28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)	days
27	Senator George McLeay				Postmaster-General and Repatriation (28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)–14 June 1941 (1941-06-14)); Supply and Development (14 June 1941 (1941-06-14)–29 August 1941 (1941-08-29))	28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)	29 August 1941 (1941-08-29)	days
				Fadden	Supply and Development	29 August 1941 (1941-08-29)	7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)
28	Senator Richard Keane		Labor	Curtin	Trade and Customs	7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)	21 September 1943 (1943-09-21)
29	Senator Bill Ashley				Postmaster-General	21 September 1943 (1943-09-21)	2 February 1945 (1945-02-02)
30	Jack Beasley				–	2 February 1945 (1945-02-02)	6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)	days
				Forde	Defence	6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)	13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)
31	Senator Joe Collings			Chifley	–	13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)	1 November 1946 (1946-11-01)
32	William Scully				–	1 November 1946 (1946-11-01)	19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)
33	Enid Lyons		Liberal	Menzies	–	19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)	7 March 1951 (1951-03-07)
34	Robert Menzies				Prime Minister	7 March 1951 (1951-03-07)	11 May 1951 (1951-05-11)	days
35	Eric Harrison				Defence Production; Army; Navy	11 May 1951 (1951-05-11)	24 October 1956 (1956-10-24)
36	Senator Neil O'Sullivan				Attorney-General	24 October 1956 (1956-10-24)	10 December 1958 (1958-12-10)
37	Senator Bill Spooner				National Development	10 December 1958 (1958-12-10)	10 June 1964 (1964-06-10)
38	William McMahon				Labour and National Service	10 June 1964 (1964-06-10)	26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)
39	Alan Hulme			Holt	Postmaster-General (Hulme was also the "Minister administering the Department of the Vice-President of the Executive Council", a department that was created and existed between 10 March 1971 and 30 May 1971.)	26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)	19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)
				McEwen		19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)	10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)
				Gorton		10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)	10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)
				McMahon		10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)	5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)
40	Senator Don Willesee		Labor	Whitlam	Special Minister; Foreign Affairs	19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)	30 November 1973 (1973-11-30)	days
41	Frank Stewart				Tourism and Recreation	30 November 1973 (1973-11-30)	11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)
42	Senator Reg Withers		Liberal	Fraser	Capital Territory; Media; Special Minister of State; Tourism and Recreation (11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)–22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)); Administrative Services (22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)–7 August 1978 (1978-08-07))	11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)	7 August 1978 (1978-08-07)
43	Senator John Carrick				Education (22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)–8 December 1979 (1979-12-08)); National Development and Energy (8 December 1979 (1979-12-08)–11 March 1983 (1983-03-11))	7 August 1978 (1978-08-07)	7 May 1982 (1982-05-07)
44	James Killen				(Killen had no other portfolio, but the Department of the Vice-President of the Executive Council was created for him to administer.)	7 May 1982 (1982-05-07)	11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)	days
45	Mick Young		Labor	Hawke	Special Minister of State	11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)	14 July 1983 (1983-07-14)	days
46	Lionel Bowen				Deputy Prime Minister; Trade (11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)–13 December 1984 (1984-12-13)); Attorney-General (13 December 1984 (1984-12-13)–4 April 1990 (1990-04-04))	14 July 1983 (1983-07-14)	24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)
n/a	Mick Young				Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs	24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)	12 February 1988 (1988-02-12)	days
47	Kim Beazley				Defence (13 December 1984 (1984-12-13)–4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)); Transport and Communications (4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)–9 December 1991 (1991-12-09))	12 February 1988 (1988-02-12)	1 February 1991 (1991-02-01)
48	Senator Graham Richardson				Social Security	1 February 1991 (1991-02-01)	20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)
				Keating	Social Security (20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)–27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)); Transport and Communications (27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)–18 May 1992 (1992-05-18))	20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)	18 May 1992 (1992-05-18)
49	Ralph Willis				Finance	27 May 1992 (1992-05-27)	24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)	days
50	Frank Walker				Special Minister of State	24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)	25 March 1994 (1994-03-25)
51	Gary Johns				Special Minister of State	25 March 1994 (1994-03-25)	11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)
52	John Moore		Liberal	Howard	Industry, Science and Tourism	11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)
53	David Kemp				Education, Training and Youth Affairs; Assistant Treasurer (21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)–26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)); Environment and Heritage (26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)–18 July 2004 (2004-07-18))	21 October 1998 (1998-10-21)	18 July 2004 (2004-07-18)
54	Senator Nick Minchin				Finance and Administration	18 July 2004 (2004-07-18)	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)
55	Senator John Faulkner		Labor	Rudd	Special Minister of State (3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)–9 June 2009 (2009-06-09)); Defence (9 June 2009 (2009-06-09)–24 June 2010 (2010-06-24))	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	24 June 2010 (2010-06-24)
				Gillard	Defence	24 June 2010 (2010-06-24)	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)
56	Robert McClelland				Attorney-General (3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)–14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)); Housing, Homelessness and Emergency Management (14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)–5 March 2012 (2012-03-05))	14 September 2010 (2010-09-14)	5 March 2012 (2012-03-05)
57	Tony Burke				Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (15 September 2010 (2010-09-15)–1 July 2013 (2013-07-01))	5 March 2012 (2012-03-05)	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)
				Rudd	Minister for Immigration, Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship; Arts	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
58	Senator George Brandis		Liberal National	Abbott	Attorney-General Minister for the Arts	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)	15 September 2015
				Turnbull	Attorney-General	15 September 2015 (2015-09-15)	incumbent