Penny Wong

Who is Penny Wong?

Penelope Ying-Yen Wong, an Australian senator representing South Australia since 2002, was the Commonwealth Minister for Finance and Deregulation, and the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Wong is a member of the Labor Party and was a member of the Australian federal cabinet. Wong is now currently the Leader of The Opposition in The Senate under Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

Wong was the first Australian Minister for Climate Change and Water. Her appointment was amended on 26 February 2010 to Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water. This change in the Government's cabinet was brought about by the controversy of the Home Insulation Program. On 13 September 2010, she was sworn in as Minister for Finance and Deregulation in the Gillard Labor cabinet.

Wong is the first Asian-born member of an Australian Cabinet, and also the first openly lesbian member of the Australian cabinet. On 27 June 2013 she became the first person of Asian descent to assume the role of Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Before entering Parliament, Penny Wong was a barrister and solicitor in Adelaide, South Australia and an adviser to the Carr Government in New South Wales.