Penelope "Penny" Ying-yen Wong (traditional Chinese: 黃英賢; simplified Chinese: 黄英贤; Mandarin Pinyin: Huáng Yīngxián; Jyutping: wong4 jing1 jin4; born 5 November 1968), Australian Labor Party politician, was the first Australian Minister for Climate Change and Water. Her appointment was amended on the 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). She has been a member of the Australian Senate since 2002, representing South Australia. Wong is the first openly gay member of the Australian Commonwealth cabinet, and the first Asian-born federal minister
Wong was born in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia to a Malaysian Chinese Hakka father and an Australian mother. She moved to Australia at the age of eight with her mother and brother Toby, after her parents separated. Her brother later committed suicide aged 30, ten days after Penny was elected to the Senate in 2001.
Wong is a practising Christian, attending Pilgrim Uniting Church in Adelaide.
After spending a year on exchange in Brazil, Wong studied Arts/Law at the University of Adelaide. When she was 18-years old, she seized control of the Labor Club away from a faction controlled by George Karzis. While at university, she worked part time for the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union. She also became involved in political activism at university, winning a position on the National Executive of the National Union of Students. Wong has been a delegate to the South Australian Labor Party State Convention every year since 1989, with the exception of 1995.
Wong graduated from university in 1992, and continued on with the CFMEU, working as an industrial officer, gaining admission to the bar in 1993. During 1995 and 1996, she acted as an advisor to the New South Wales state government, specialising in the area of forest policy. On returning to Adelaide, she began practising law, won a position on the ALP's state executive, and also took on work as a legal officer with the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union.
Wong ran for pre-selection for the Senate in 2001, and was selected for the top spot on the party's South Australian ticket. Wong is a member of EMILY's List Australia, the support network for Labor women, and, until appointment as a minister following the 2007 election, sat on a number of Senate committees, primarily those related to economics.
In June 2005 Wong was appointed Shadow Minister for Employment and Workforce Participation and Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility. Following the reshuffle in December 2006, she became responsible for the portfolios of Public Administration & Accountability, Corporate Governance & Responsibility, and Workforce Participation.
In November 2007, in the wake of the Labor Party victory in the 2007 election, Wong was appointed Minister for Climate Change and Water. As a result of this promotion, she is the highest ranked politician representing South Australia. She accompanied Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to Bali for the international climate change talks. Wong led final negotiations as Chair of the United Nations Working Group in the closing days of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December 2007, shortly after her appointment as Minister for Climate Change and Water.
You Leave Me Speechless! I Admire You & Salute You!
