It was led by the country's 1st prime minister, Sir Edmund Barton.

The Barton ministry was formed on 1 January 1901 when Federation took place.

The ministry was replaced by the First Deakin ministry on 24 September 1903 following Barton's retirement from Parliament to enter the inaugural High Court.

[1] James Drake, who died in 1941, was the last surviving member of the Barton ministry; Drake was also the last surviving minister of the First Deakin ministry and the Reid government.

Elliot Lewis was the last surviving member of the inaugural Barton ministry.