It was a touching moment when Senator Penny Wong was officially sworn in as Australia’s new Foreign Minister. With the Labor Party winning the 2022 Federal Election, Wong has become part of the core group who are Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s right hand people. But really, it shouldn’t come as a surprise as Wong was previously the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2019.
Having sat in the Senate for over 20 years and having experienced what it feels like being in Government with Rudd and Gillard governments as well as in opposition, Wong is back in the ministry and is now representing Australia on the world stage. How she and the Albanese Government will better engage with Asia, the Pacific and how they will repair ties with China will be a great test of their abilities. Wong being both Asian and lesbian already understands how it feels to be discriminated and marginalised, so this will already play to her advantage when negotiating, consulting, engaging and representing Australia on the world stage.
Something interesting is that Wong being the Foreign Minister will make her one of the most powerful Asian Australian, LGBTIQ and woman in Australia and that in itself is a model many of us can look up to.
Congratulations!
Images via Twitter