Australian politician (born 1968), Minister for Foreign Affairs
The Honourable
Penny Wong
Senator
Official portrait, 2021
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 23 May 2022
Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese
Preceded by
Marise Payne
Leader of the Government in the Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 June 2022
Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese
Deputy
Don Farrell
Preceded by
Simon Birmingham
In office 27 June 2013 – 18 September 2013
Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd
Deputy
Jacinta Collins
Preceded by
Stephen Conroy
Succeeded by
Eric Abetz
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
In office 18 September 2013 – 23 May 2022
Deputy
Stephen Conroy Don Farrell Kristina Keneally
Leader
Bill Shorten Anthony Albanese
Preceded by
Eric Abetz
Succeeded by
Simon Birmingham
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
In office 3 December 2007 – 14 September 2010
Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard
Preceded by
Office created
Succeeded by
Greg Combet
Senator for South Australia
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 July 2002
Preceded by
Chris Schacht
Personal details
Born
Penelope Ying-Yen Wong
(1968-11-05) 5 November 1968 (age 55) Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Citizenship
Malaysia (1968–2001)
Australia (1968–present)
Political party
Labor
Spouse
Sophie Allouache (m. 2024)
Children
2
Education
University of Adelaide (BA, LLB) University of South Australia (LPC)
Signature
Website
pennywong.com.au
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
黃英賢
Simplified Chinese
黄英贤
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
Huáng Yīngxián
Hakka
Pha̍k-fa-sṳ
Vòng Yîn-hèn
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization
Wòhng Yīng-yìhn
Jyutping
Wong4 Jing1-jin4
Southern Min
Hokkien POJ
N̂g Eng-hiân
Penelope Ying-Yen Wong (born 5 November 1968) is an Australian politician who is serving as the current minister for Foreign Affairs and leader of the Government in the Senate in the Albanese government since 2022. A member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), she has been a senator for South Australia since 2002. Wong previously served as minister for Climate Change and minister for Finance and Deregulation during the governments of Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard from 2007 until 2013.
Born in Malaysia to a Chinese Malaysian father and an English Australian mother, Wong was educated at Scotch College in Adelaide, before attending the University of Adelaide, graduating with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees. Prior to beginning her political career, she worked as a lawyer and political advisor. Wong entered politics by winning a Senate seat in the 2001 election.
Following Labor's victory in the 2007 election, she was appointed Australia's first ever Minister for Climate Change, going on to represent the country at the landmark 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Following the 2010 election, Wong was moved to become Minister for Finance and Deregulation, and in June 2013, she was elected by her colleagues to become Leader of the Government in the Senate. Following Labor's defeat in the 2013 election, Wong held several roles in the shadow cabinets of both Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese, serving as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate throughout. Upon Labor's victory at the 2022 election, Wong was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, and resumed her role as Leader of the Government in the Senate.
In 2008, she became the first Asian-Australian in an Australian Cabinet.[1] She was also the first female openly-LGBTI Australian federal parliamentarian, and was an instrumental figure in the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia in 2017, reversing her previous endorsement of Labor Party policy that had opposed it.[2][3][4][5][6] On 6 March 2024 Wong became longest-serving female cabinet minister in the history of the Australian Parliament. Several surveys have consistently found Wong to be the most trusted politician in Australia.[7]
^"Panellist: Penny Wong - Q&A - ABC TV". www.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014.
^"Marriage equality movement 'unstoppable', Senator Penny Wong tells Melbourne rally". ABC News. 13 June 2015.
^"Penny Wong on the 'yes' vote that gives her daughters the Australia she wants for them". 9News. 16 November 2017.
^Farouque, Farah (10 June 2006). "Why, oh why can't I have a civil union?". The Age. Australia. Archived from the original on 24 February 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
^"Australia's Rudd sworn in as PM". BBC News. 3 December 2007. Archived from the original on 3 December 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
^"Brown "horrified" at Wong's anti-gay marriage stance". Sydney Morning Herald. 26 July 2010. Archived from the original on 6 November 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
^Cite error: The named reference Morgan23 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
Francis Wong, a Malaysian Chinese man of Cantonese and Hakka origin who lived in Sandakan during the Japanese occupation of British Borneo. PennyWong's parents...
Chalmers, and shadow ministers for Foreign Affairs and Finance Senators PennyWong and Katy Gallagher were sworn in as an interim five-person ministry. According...
Senator PennyWong. Senator Wong has said of the achievement of marriage equality in Australia that "change happened because of champions like Penny Sharpe...
some in Tasmania's Aboriginal community. 15 January – Foreign minister PennyWong travels to the Middle East to renew calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza...
incident. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister PennyWong spoke with their equivalents in Israel following the attack. Albanese...
2023). "PennyWong urges calm after US shoots down China 'weather' balloon". news.com.au. Retrieved February 7, 2023. "Foreign Minister PennyWong responds...
election, causing some controversy as he defeated PennyWong for the leading Senate position. At the time, Wong was a senior minister in the Second Gillard...
the Nafanua II by Australia. In June 2022, Australia's Foreign Minister PennyWong announced with Samoan Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa that the craft...
friendships with future premier Jay Weatherill and future federal minister PennyWong; he and Weatherill were best man at each other's weddings. In 1992, Butler...
married Laura Anderson, a journalist and writer who worked as a staffer to PennyWong and Julia Gillard. The couple have three children. Their wedding, attended...
Legislature Australian Parliament Senate President Sue Lines (ALP) Leader PennyWong (ALP) House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick (ALP) Leader Tony Burke...
between Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne and Shadow Minister PennyWong. 15 May: The Liberal election campaign launch was held in Brisbane, six...
the department is its secretary, presently Jan Adams. She reports to PennyWong, who has held the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2022...
Legislature Australian Parliament Senate President Sue Lines (ALP) Leader PennyWong (ALP) House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick (ALP) Leader Tony Burke...
President Sue Lines, Labor since 26 July 2022 Leader of the Government PennyWong, Labor since 1 June 2022 Manager of Government Business Katy Gallagher...
of Sogavare attempting to hold onto power. Australian Foreign Minister PennyWong denied the allegation and pointed to Australia having supported previous...
Minister and Minister for Employment, Jim Chalmers as Treasurer, Senator PennyWong as Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Senator Katy Gallagher as Minister...
the Israeli occupation forces. Australia: Australian foreign minister PennyWong stated, "Australia is horrified by today's catastrophe in Gaza and the...
including a biography of Senate leader of the Australian Labor Party, PennyWong and Australian minister for the environment Tanya Plibersek. Her essay...
climate change was separated from the portfolio and handed to Senator PennyWong. Although Garrett requested to represent the Government on climate change...
2022, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Foreign Affairs PennyWong announced that Rudd would be appointed as the 23rd Ambassador of Australia...
King Madeleine King Richard Marles Brendan O'Connor Clare O'Neil Tanya Plibersek Amanda Rishworth Michelle Rowland Bill Shorten Murray Watt PennyWong...
deputy leader Richard Marles, shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers, and senators PennyWong and Katy Gallagher were sworn in as an interim five-person ministry. The...
Legislature Australian Parliament Senate President Sue Lines (ALP) Leader PennyWong (ALP) House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick (ALP) Leader Tony Burke...
King Madeleine King Richard Marles Brendan O'Connor Clare O'Neil Tanya Plibersek Amanda Rishworth Michelle Rowland Bill Shorten Murray Watt PennyWong...