Who is the defence minister? Federal and every state
Current defence ministers for Australia and every state and territory, with office addresses and shadow ministers. Write to any of them online.
Australia has nine parliaments: the federal parliament and one for each state and territory. Each government decides its own ministry, so the defence portfolio has a different name, and sometimes a different minister, in each one. 1 of the nine currently has a minister whose title covers defence. This page lists them, their shadows, and the other ministers who share the work, with addresses from each parliament's official records.
Defence ministers at a glance
| Parliament | Name | Portfolio | Office mailing address | Write |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | Richard MarlesALP · Member for Corio | Minister for DefenceAlso: Deputy Prime Minister | PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600Parliament House | Write |
This is a federal responsibility, so state and territory governments don't have a defence minister.
Federal addresses are for Parliament House, where portfolio mail should go. State and territory addresses are the minister's electorate office, which passes portfolio mail on.
Names, roles and addresses on this page come from each parliament's official member lists. Data checked 20 October 2026.
Federal or state: who's responsible for defence?
Defence is a federal responsibility. The federal Defence Minister is supported by other ministers for defence industry and defence personnel. Several states and territories have ministers for defence industries, whose job is to win defence contracts and investment for their state, not to run the military.
If you're not sure which level handles your issue, write to your own local member as well. Their office can pass your letter to the right minister.
Defence ministers by parliament
Federal defence minister
The Minister for Defence in the federal government is Richard Marles (ALP, Member for Corio), who is also Deputy Prime Minister. Write to them at PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600.
In opposition, James Paterson (LIB) is Shadow Minister for Defence.
Shadow defence ministers and spokespeople
A shadow minister leads the opposition's policy on defence and questions the government in parliament. Write to them when you want an issue raised publicly, or want to know what the alternative government would do. Crossbench spokespeople, such as the Greens in some parliaments, are listed too.
| Parliament | Name | Portfolio | Write |
|---|---|---|---|
| FederalOpposition | James PatersonLIB · Senator for Victoria | Shadow Minister for Defence | Write |
See every opposition frontbench on the list of shadow ministers.
Also relevant
Assistant ministers, parliamentary secretaries and ministers for closely related areas. If your issue is about one of these areas, they may be the better person to write to, or you can copy them in.
| Parliament | Name | Portfolio | Write |
|---|---|---|---|
| FederalOpposition | Leah BlythLIB · Senator for South Australia | Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence Infrastructure | Write |
| FederalGovernment | Pat ConroyALP · Member for Shortland | Minister for Defence Industry | Write |
| FederalGovernment | Matt KeoghALP · Member for Burt | Minister for Defence Personnel | Write |
| FederalGovernment | Peter KhalilALP · Member for Wills | Assistant Minister for Defence | Write |
| FederalOpposition | Phillip ThompsonLNP · Member for Herbert | Shadow Minister for Defence Industry; Shadow Minister for Defence Personnel | Write |
| VictoriaGovernment | Melissa HorneALP · Member for Williamstown | Minister for Defence Industry | Write |
| QueenslandGovernment | Janelle PooleLNP · Member for Mundingburra | Assistant Minister for Community Safety, Defence Industry, Veterans and North Queensland | Write |
| Western AustraliaGovernment | Roger CookALP · Member for Kwinana | Minister for Defence Industries | Write |
| Western AustraliaGovernment | Divina D'AnnaALP · Member for Kimberley | Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, Minister for Defence Industries, Tourism, Trade and Investment | Write |
| Western AustraliaGovernment | Jodie HannsALP · Member for Collie-Preston | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation, Manufacturing, Skills and TAFE, Pilbara, Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Industries | Write |
| Western AustraliaOpposition | Libby MettamLIB · Member for Vasse | Shadow Minister for Defence Industries and AUKUS | Write |
| Western AustraliaGovernment | Samantha RoweALP · Member of the Legislative Council | Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, Minister for Defence Industries, Tourism, Trade and Investment | Write |
| Western AustraliaGovernment | Amber-Jade SandersonALP · Member for Morley | Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Industries | Write |
| Western AustraliaGovernment | David ScaifeALP · Member for Cockburn | Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, Minister for Defence Industries, Tourism, Trade and Investment | Write |
| South AustraliaOpposition | Ashton HurnLIB · Member for Schubert | Shadow Minister for Defence and Space Industries | Write |
| South AustraliaGovernment | Chris PictonALP · Member for Kaurna | Minister for Defence and Space Industries | Write |
| Northern TerritoryGovernment | Lia FinocchiaroCLP · Member for Spillett | Minister for Defence NT | Write |
| Northern TerritoryOpposition | Selena UiboALP · Member for Arnhem | Shadow Minister for Defence NT | Write |
How to address a letter to a minister
Address the envelope to the minister by name and title, then their office address. Inside, open with Dear Minister. Only write "The Hon" if the minister holds that title; some state ministers 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.
The Hon Richard Marles MP
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives, Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Mr Marles,
- Keep to one issue, and say exactly which program, service or decision 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.
Write to a defence minister now
Pick a minister from the table above and press Write. 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.
Write to a defence minister
$3.95 a letter, printed on 100% recycled paper, signed with your signature and posted via Australia Post. Or download the PDF free and post it yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the federal defence minister?+
The Hon Richard Marles MP (ALP) is the Minister for Defence in the federal government, and also Deputy Prime Minister.
Who is the shadow defence minister?+
Federally, Senator James Paterson (LIB) is the Shadow Minister for Defence. Oppositions in 1 of Australia's nine parliaments have a shadow minister covering defence, all listed on this page.
Should I write to the federal or state defence minister?+
Defence is a federal responsibility. The federal Defence Minister is supported by other ministers for defence industry and defence personnel. Several states and territories have ministers for defence industries, whose job is to win defence contracts and investment for their state, not to run the military.
How do I contact the defence minister?+
Write a letter. Address the envelope to the minister by name and title, followed by their office address, and open with "Dear Minister". Federal ministers can be written to at Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600. State and territory ministers can be written to at their electorate office, which passes portfolio mail on to their ministerial office.