In New South Wales, regional ministers have been appointed since 1995 on a part-time basis as part of the Government of New South Wales. Each minister has other departmental responsibilities, as well as specific responsibilities for one of the regions of New South Wales. The ministries with regional responsibilities first appeared in 2000 during the Carr Labor Government with a position looking after the Central Coast, this would later be expanded by the Iemma Labor Government from 2005 and O'Farrell Coalition Government in 2011 to five different positions including Western Sydney.[1][2]
In 2015, the number of ministers was reduced to just three ministers: the Minister for Regional Development, the Minister for Western New South Wales and the Minister for Western Sydney.[3] In the first Berejiklian ministry the portfolio of regional development changed to Regional New South Wales and a fourth regional portfolio created, Regional Water. Following the 2019 state election the ministries were rearranged, with the portfolio of Regional Water abolished and two new regional portfolios, Regional Transport and Roads and Regional Youth, bringing the total to five with effect from 2 April 2019.[4] A sixth portfolio, Regional Health, was created in the second Perrottet ministry.[2]
Ministries
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).