Penny Wright
Encyclopedia
Penelope Lesley "Penny" Wright (born 19 January 1961) is an Australian Greens
senator for South Australia, first elected at the 2010 election.
in the Sunraysia
region of Victoria, the sixth of seven children of Lesley and Hugh Wright. She spent much of her childhood growing up in Melbourne after her family moved there in 1968. Wright attended Wattle Park High School in Burwood
before moving to MacRobertson Girls' High School for high achievers. After completing high school she studied arts/law at the University of Melbourne
, later obtaining a graduate diploma in Environmental Studies in Adelaide.
Wright spent 20 years working as a lawyer prior to her election to parliament.
, a state MLC
, generally considered the founder of the South Australian Greens
). According to Wright, she postponed her political career at the time (1995) to raise children.
Wright was placed first on the South Australian Greens Senate ticket for the 2010 federal election. The party received a 6.8 percent swing in South Australia, finishing with 13.3 percent of the statewide Senate vote. Wright joined eight other Green Senators in the upper house from the start of July 2011, including incumbent South Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young
.
On commencing her senate term in July 2011, Wright was assigned the portfolios of Attorney-General, Native Title, Veterans' Affairs, Social Inclusion, Mental Health and Heritage within the federal Greens.
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
senator for South Australia, first elected at the 2010 election.
Early life
Wright was born in 1961 at Red CliffsRed Cliffs, Victoria
Red Cliffs is a town in Victoria, Australia in the Sunraysia region. It is located on the Calder Highway, 16 km south of Mildura and 544 km north-west of Melbourne....
in the Sunraysia
Sunraysia
Sunraysia is an area of northwestern Victoria and southwestern New South Wales in Australia, known for its sunshine, grapes and oranges. Its main centre is Mildura....
region of Victoria, the sixth of seven children of Lesley and Hugh Wright. She spent much of her childhood growing up in Melbourne after her family moved there in 1968. Wright attended Wattle Park High School in Burwood
Burwood, Victoria
Burwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is largely the City of Whitehorse but includes the City of Monash in its south west corner. At the 2006 Census, Burwood had a population of 11,886.-History:The...
before moving to MacRobertson Girls' High School for high achievers. After completing high school she studied arts/law at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, later obtaining a graduate diploma in Environmental Studies in Adelaide.
Wright spent 20 years working as a lawyer prior to her election to parliament.
Political career
Wright is a founding member of the South Australian branch of the Greens (along with her husband Mark ParnellMark Parnell
Mark Parnell is an Australian politician and the first SA Greens representative in the South Australian Legislative Council, having won a seat in the 2006 state election. His term will expire in March 2014. Since his election, the Greens position in state political opinion polls has approximately...
, a state MLC
South Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
, generally considered the founder of the South Australian Greens
Greens South Australia
Greens South Australia is a Green Party located in South Australia, a member of the federation of the Australian Greens party.The party has four members currently elected to parliament, Mark Parnell and Tammy Franks in the South Australian Legislative Council and Sarah Hanson-Young and Penny Wright...
). According to Wright, she postponed her political career at the time (1995) to raise children.
Wright was placed first on the South Australian Greens Senate ticket for the 2010 federal election. The party received a 6.8 percent swing in South Australia, finishing with 13.3 percent of the statewide Senate vote. Wright joined eight other Green Senators in the upper house from the start of July 2011, including incumbent South Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young
Sarah Hanson-Young
Sarah Coral Hanson-Young is an Australian politician. She has been a Greens member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of South Australia. she is the youngest person ever elected to the Australian Senate....
.
On commencing her senate term in July 2011, Wright was assigned the portfolios of Attorney-General, Native Title, Veterans' Affairs, Social Inclusion, Mental Health and Heritage within the federal Greens.
Personal life
Wright is married to Mark Parnell with whom she moved to Adelaide in 1989 following 9 months in Europe. Wright and Parnell have three children, Felix, Eleanor and Mungo.External links
- Penny Wright.com.au (official website)