Penny Wong(I)

Penny Wong is a highly prominent Australian politician, serving as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate in the Albanese Labor Government since May 2022. In this role, she is responsible for Australia's international relations, diplomacy, and foreign policy. She has been very active on the global stage, particularly in engaging with Pacific nations and shaping Australia's approach to the Indo-Pacific region.

Penny has been a Senator for South Australia since her election in 2001, commencing her term on July 1, 2002 and has been re-elected multiple times. Penny has broken several barriers in Australian politics:

• She is the first openly LGBTQ+ woman to serve in an Australian federal cabinet.
• She is the first Asian-born member of an Australian federal cabinet.
• She is the first woman to simultaneously hold leadership roles in both government (Leader of the Government in the Senate) and opposition (Leader of the Opposition in the Senate).
• As of March 6, 2024, she became the longest-serving female cabinet minister in the history of the Australian Parliament.