The Second Whitlam ministry took office on December 19, 1972.
Whitlam became Prime Minister on December 5, 1972. He and his deputy, Lance Barnard, governed as a duumvirate until December 19, 1972.
By this time, the election results were finalised and the ALP Caucus had met, in accordance with party rules, to elect the ministry. The following people were sworn into office on December 19, 1972.
- Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs – The Hon. Edward Gough Whitlam, QC
- Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Defence, Minister for the Navy, Minister for the Army, Minister for Air and Minister for Supply – The Hon. Lance Herbert Barnard MP
- Minister for Overseas Trade and Minister for Secondary Industry – The Hon. James Ford Cairns MP
- Minister for Social Security – The Hon. William George Hayden MP
- Treasurer – The Hon. Frank Crean MP
- Attorney-General, Minister for Customs and Excise and Leader of the Government in the Senate – Senator the Hon. Lionel Keith Murphy, QC
- Special Minister of State, Vice-President of the Executive Council, Minister assisting the Prime Minister and Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs – Senator the Hon. Donald Robert Willesee
- Minister for the Media – Senator the Hon. Douglas McClelland
- Minister for Northern Development – The Hon. Rex Alan Patterson MP
- Minister for Repatriation and Minister assisting the Minister for Defence – Senator the Hon. Reginald Bishop
- Minister for Services and Property and Leader of the House – The Hon. Frederick Michael Daly MP
- Minister for Labour – The Hon. Clyde Robert Cameron MP
- Minister for Urban and Regional Development – The Hon. Thomas Uren MP
- Minister for Transport and Minister for Civil Aviation – The Hon. Charles Keith Jones MP
- Minister for Education – The Hon. Kim Edward Beazley MP
- Minister for Tourism and Recreation and Minister assisting the Treasurer – The Hon. Francis Eugene Stewart MP
- Minister for Works – Senator the Hon. James Luke Cavanagh
- Minister for Primary Industry – Senator the Hon. Kenneth Shaw Wriedt
- Minister for Aboriginal Affairs – The Hon. Gordon Munro Bryant ED MP
- Minister for Minerals and Energy – The Hon. Reginald Francis Xavier Connor MP
- Minister for Immigration – The Hon. Albert Jaime Grassby MP
- Minister for Housing – The Hon. Lelie Royston Johnson MP
- Minister for the Capital Territory and Minister for the Northern Territory – The Hon. Keppel Earl Enderby MP
- Postmaster-General – The Hon. Lionel Frost Bowen MP
- Minister for Health – The Hon. Douglas Nixon Everingham MP
- Minister for the Environment and Conservation – The Hon. Moses Henry Cass MP
- Minister for Science and Minister for External Territories – The Hon. William Lawrence Morrison MP
The Australian, Tuesday December 19, 1972.
