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Penny Wong

Senator The Honourable
Penny Wong
Penny Wong May 2012.jpg
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Assumed office
18 September 2013
Deputy Stephen Conroy
Leader Bill Shorten
Preceded by Eric Abetz
Leader of the Government in the Senate
In office
26 June 2013 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Deputy Jacinta Collins
Preceded by Stephen Conroy
Succeeded by Eric Abetz
Minister for Finance and Deregulation
In office
14 September 2010 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Kevin Rudd
Preceded by Lindsay Tanner
Succeeded by Mathias Cormann
Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water
In office
3 December 2007 – 13 September 2010
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Julia Gillard
Preceded by position created
Succeeded by Greg Combet
Senator for South Australia
Assumed office
1 July 2002
Personal details
Born Penny Wong
(1968-11-05) 5 November 1968 (age 48)
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Nationality Australian
Political party Australian Labor Party
Domestic partner Sophie Allouache
Children Alexandra, Hannah
Residence Australia
Alma mater University of Adelaide
Profession Lawyer
Religion Uniting Church in Australia
Signature

Penelope Ying-Yen "Penny" Wong (born 5 November 1968) is an Australian politician who has represented South Australia in the Senate since 2002, and is the current Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. Wong is a member of the Labor Party and was a member of the Federal Cabinet in both the Gillard Government and the first and second Rudd governments.

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 is the first Asian-born member of an Australian cabinet. She is the first female openly-LGBTI Australian federal parliamentarian and federal government cabinet minister, and supports marriage equality in Australia despite previously opposing it.

First elected to the Senate at the 2001 federal election (and sitting from July 2002), Wong was named Minister for Climate Change and Water following Labor's victory under Kevin Rudd at the 2007 election. Her appointment was amended on 26 February 2010 to Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water. On 13 September 2010, she was sworn in as Minister for Finance and Deregulation in the Gillard Government. Wong retained the position after Kevin Rudd's successful leadership spill in June 2013, and also gained the position of Leader of the Government in the Senate, holding these roles until Labor's defeat at the 2013 federal election.


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