Penny Wong

Penny Wong was elected to represent South Australia in the Senate in 2001. She was born in Sabah, Malaysia and immigrated to Australia at the age of eight, settling in the Adelaide Hills. Having won a scholarship to Scotch College, Penny obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Law Degree (Hons) from the University of Adelaide. She initially began working for the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union when she was still studying, and stayed with the union after she was admitted to the Bar. She was then employed as a ministerial advisor to the Carr government in New South Wales, concentrating on forest policy. She later returned to Adelaide to practise law, before being elected to the Senate.