Who is the health minister? Federal and every state and territory

Australia has nine health ministers: one federal, and one for each state and territory. Which one you should write to depends on what you want changed. This page lists every current health minister, their shadow, and the other ministers who share the health portfolio, with office addresses taken from each parliament's official records.

Health ministers at a glance

Click a name to see that minister's page, where you can write to them directly.

Names, roles and addresses on this page come from each parliament's official member lists. Data checked 20 October 2026.

Federal vs state health: who's responsible for what

Health is shared between the Commonwealth and the states, which is why so many letters end up with the wrong minister. As a rough guide:

Public hospitals are run by the states and territories but funded jointly with the Commonwealth, so a hospital funding question can reasonably go to both. The NDIS is a separate federal portfolio, not health. If you're unsure, write to your own local member as well: their office can pass your letter to the right minister.

Federal Minister for Health

The federal Minister for Health and Ageing is Mark Butler, ALP, Member for Hindmarsh. For portfolio matters, write to the Minister at Parliament House:

Write to Mark Butler at Parliament House

The federal health portfolio also has assistant ministers who handle specific areas. A letter about one of their areas can go to them, or to the senior minister with a copy to them:

State and territory health ministers

State ministers are listed below with their electorate office. Ministers also have a ministerial office, usually in the capital, and letters sent to the electorate office are passed on. Where mental health, regional health or health infrastructure is a separate portfolio, we show that minister too.

New South Wales health minister

The Minister for Health in New South Wales is Ryan Park, who is also Minister for Regional Health. Their electorate office is at Shops 1 - 3, 263 Princes Highway, Corrimal NSW 2518.

Other New South Wales health roles: Michael Holland (Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health); Rose Jackson (Minister for Mental Health).

Complaints about a specific service in New South Wales: Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC).

Victoria health minister

The Minister for Health in Victoria is Ingrid Stitt, who is also Minister for Mental Health. Their electorate office is at Tenancy 2, 80 Carmody Drive, Cairnlea VIC 3023.

Other Victoria health roles: Ella George (Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention); Pauline Richards (Parliamentary Secretary for Health).

Complaints about a specific service in Victoria: Health Complaints Commissioner.

Queensland health minister

The Minister for Health and Ambulance Services in Queensland is Tim Nicholls. Their electorate office is at PO Box 281, Clayfield QLD 4011.

Other Queensland health roles: Donna Kirkland (Assistant Minister for Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Treatment, Families and Seniors and Central Queensland).

Complaints about a specific service in Queensland: Office of the Health Ombudsman.

Western Australia health minister

The Minister for Health in Western Australia is Meredith Hammat, who is also Minister for Mental Health and Minister for Preventative Health. Their electorate office is at PO Box 6064, Girrawheen WA 6064.

Other Western Australia health roles: John Carey (Minister for Health Infrastructure); Katrina Stratton (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health, Mental Health, Preventative Health).

Complaints about a specific service in Western Australia: Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO).

South Australia health minister

The Minister for Health and Wellbeing in South Australia is Blair Boyer. Their electorate office is at PO Box 1111, Golden Grove Village SA 5125.

Complaints about a specific service in South Australia: Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC).

Tasmania health minister

The Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing in Tasmania is Bridget Archer. Their electorate office is at 1/139-143 Hobart Road, Kings Meadows TAS 7249.

Complaints about a specific service in Tasmania: Health Complaints Commissioner Tasmania.

Australian Capital Territory health minister

The Minister for Health in Australian Capital Territory is Marisa Paterson, who is also Minister for Mental Health. Their electorate office is at GPO Box 1020, Canberra ACT 2601.

Other Australian Capital Territory health roles: Rachel Stephen-Smith (Minister for Health Infrastructure).

Complaints about a specific service in Australian Capital Territory: ACT Human Rights Commission (Health Services Commissioner).

Northern Territory health minister

The Minister for Health in Northern Territory is Steve Edgington, who is also Minister for Mental Health. Their electorate office is at PO Box 796, Tennant Creek NT 0861.

Complaints about a specific service in Northern Territory: Health and Community Services Complaints Commission.

Other health ministers and parliamentary secretaries

Many governments split health into several portfolios. If your issue is about mental health, rural and regional health or a hospital building project, the minister for that area may be the better person to write to.

Shadow health ministers

The shadow health minister leads the opposition's health policy and asks questions in parliament. Writing to them makes sense when you want an issue raised publicly, or you want to know what the alternative government would do. Some parliaments also have crossbench health spokespeople, shown here where our data includes them.

How to address a health minister

Address the envelope to the minister by name and title, for example "The Hon [Name] MP, Minister for Health", then the office address. Inside, open with Dear Minister. Only use "The Hon" if the minister holds that title; state ministers in some parliaments do not. The address blocks on each politician page already use the right form. For more detail see how to address a letter to an MP.

• Keep to one issue and say which hospital, service or program you mean.
• Say what you want the minister to do, in one sentence.
• Include your full postal address so the office can reply.
• A short personal story carries more weight than statistics the department already has.

Writing about a hospital or health complaint?

A minister can't investigate an individual complaint about your care. That's the job of an independent health complaints body. Start with the hospital or provider's own patient liaison or feedback service, then go to the complaints body for your state or territory if it isn't resolved:

• New South Wales: Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC)
• Victoria: Health Complaints Commissioner
• Queensland: Office of the Health Ombudsman
• Western Australia: Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO)
• South Australia: Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC)
• Tasmania: Health Complaints Commissioner Tasmania
• Australian Capital Territory: ACT Human Rights Commission (Health Services Commissioner)
• Northern Territory: Health and Community Services Complaints Commission

For federal matters: complaints about aged care go to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, concerns about a registered health practitioner can go to Ahpra, and problems with Medicare administration can go to Services Australia and then the Commonwealth Ombudsman.

Write to the minister when the problem is bigger than your case: a service that keeps failing, a policy gap, funding, or a complaint process that didn't work. Mention that you have used the complaints process. It shows you're raising a systemic issue, and it's the kind of letter a minister's office passes on rather than simply redirecting.

Write to a health minister now

Start from the template below, change the details to your own, and pick the minister. Better Letters prints your signed letter and posts it for you, or you can download the PDF free and post it yourself. A printed, signed letter is harder to set aside than an email.

Many people are writing about the same health issues. If there's a campaign already running on yours, joining it adds to a counted total. See live campaigns on the home page.