Penny Wong

Penny Wong

Penelope "Penny" Ying-yen Wong (born 5 November 1968), an Australian senator representing South Australia, is the Commonwealth Minister for Finance and Deregulation. Wong is a member of the Labor Party and member of the Australian federal cabinet.

Wong was the first Australian Minister for Climate Change and Water. Her appointment was amended on 26 February 2010, by the Prime Minister, to the 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 (HIP). On 13 September 2010, she was sworn in as Minister for Finance and Deregulation in the Gillard Labor cabinet. She has been a member of the Australian Senate since 2002, representing South Australia.

Wong is the first Asian-born federal minister, as well as the first openly lesbian member of the Australian cabinet. Before entering Parliament, Penny Wong was a barrister and solicitor in Adelaide and an adviser to the Carr Government in New South Wales.