Penny Wong

(1968-)

Australian politician

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Penelope Ying-Yen Wong (born 5 November 1968) is an Australian politician who has been a Senator for South Australia since 2002. She has served as Senate leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since 2013, and is currently Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. She was a cabinet minister in the Rudd and Gillard Governments from 2007 to 2013. Born in Malaysia to an Australian mother and Malaysian father, Wong was educated at Scotch College in Adelaide, and then attended the University of Adelaide, graduating with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees. Prior to entering Federal parliament, Wong worked as a lawyer and political advisor. Wong has been described by her biographer as, "principled, intellectual, private, restrained and sane." In 2008, she became the first Asian-born member of an Australian cabinet. She was also the first female openly-LGBTI Australian federal parliamentarian and federal government cabinet minister, supporting legalised same-sex marriage in Australia despite having previously opposed it.