The Minister for Transport is a minister in the Government of New South Wales who has responsibilities which include transport policy and regulation, to setting of fares and concessions for rail, ferry, bus and light rail transport, and the administration of maritime facilities in New South Wales, Australia.
The current Minister for Transport has been John Graham since 6 February 2025 following the resignation of Jo Haylen. The Minister for Transport is assisted in the management of the portfolio by:
Minister for Roads, currently Jenny Aitchison, who has responsibility of the development of road infrastructure and road pricing, and taxi and hire car policy and regulation in the metropolitan parts of the state.
Minister for Regional Transport, currently Jenny Aitchison, who has responsibilities of the development of road infrastructure and road pricing, and taxi and hire car policy and regulation in the regional parts of the state.
Graham was sworn in on 6 February 2025 as Transport Minister and sworn in on 28 March 2023 as Minister for Roads. Aitchison was sworn in on 5 April 2023 as Minister for Regional Transport and Roads. Together, they administer the portfolio through the Department of Transport (Transport for NSW) and a range of other government agencies that coordinate funding arrangements for transport operators, including hundreds of local and community transport operators.
On 17 March 2025, it was announced that Graham would stay on following his Acting tenure as Minister for Transport.
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Role and responsibilities
Minister for Railways (1916–1929)
The first public railway line in New South Wales was the Sydney–Parramatta Railway which opened on 26 September 1855. Railways were operated by New South Wales Government Railways which was under the supervision of a single Commissioner for Railways until 1888, 3 commissioners until 1907, before returning to a Chief Commissioner from 1907. The Treasurer had ministerial responsibility for railways.
The portfolio of Minister for Railways was created in the Holman Nationalist ministry and had operational responsibility for the railways while the Secretary for Public Works had responsibility for authorising expenditure on any new lines or extensions that exceeded £20,000. The separation however was only at a department level as the portfolio was always held by the Secretary for Public Works.
In the second Fuller ministry the portfolio of Labour and Industry was divided up, with the Minister for Railways receiving the additional responsibilities for state industrial enterprises. The portfolio returned to be the Minister for Railways from the first Lang ministry.
Colonial Treasurer and Minister for Transport (1929–present)
On 16 April 1929 Ernest Buttenshaw, the Secretary for Public Works and Minister for Railways, became Acting Premier during the absence of Thomas Bavin and resigned the railways portfolio. The ministerial office was not filled and instead the railways department was administered by the Colonial Treasurer. The operation of railways remained the responsibility of the Treasurer in the third Lang ministry until 22 March 1932. The portfolio of Minister for Transport was created under Ministry of Transport Act No. 3, 1932.
List of ministers
Transport
The following individuals have been appointed as Ministers for Transport, or similar titles.
Former ministerial titles
Assistant ministers
The following individuals have been appointed as Assistant Ministers with responsibility for assisting or advising the Minister for Transport.