Marise Payne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Marise Payne
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office 28 August 2018 – 23 May 2022
Prime Minister	Scott Morrison
Preceded by	Julie Bishop
Succeeded by	Penny Wong
Minister for Women
In office 29 May 2019 – 23 May 2022
Prime Minister	Scott Morrison
Preceded by	Kelly O'Dwyer
Succeeded by	Katy Gallagher
Minister for Defence
In office 21 September 2015 – 28 August 2018
Prime Minister	Malcolm Turnbull Scott Morrison
Preceded by	Kevin Andrews
Succeeded by	Christopher Pyne
Minister for Human Services
In office 18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015
Prime Minister	Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Jan McLucas
Succeeded by	Stuart Robert
Senator for New South Wales
In office 9 April 1997 – 30 September 2023
Preceded by	Bob Woods
Succeeded by	Dave Sharma
Personal details
Born	Marise Ann Payne (1964-07-29) 29 July 1964 (age 61) Sydney, Australia
Political party	Liberal
Domestic partner	Stuart Ayres (2007–2024)
Education	MLC School
Alma mater	University of New South Wales

Marise Ann Payne (born 29 July 1964) is an Australian politician. She was a Senator for New South Wales from 1997 until 2023. She represented the Liberal Party.

Marise Payne held important government jobs between 2013 and 2022. These included being the Minister for Defence (2015–2018) and the Minister for Foreign Affairs (2018–2022). She was the first woman to hold the Defence Minister role.

Payne was born in Sydney and studied at the University of New South Wales. She was the first woman to lead the Young Liberals group from 1989 to 1991. She became a Senator in 1997. She is the longest-serving female Senator in Australia's history. She left the Senate on 30 September 2023.

Early Life and Education

Marise Payne was born in Sydney. Her father was a World War II veteran and worked as an accountant. She grew up in Bardwell Park, a suburb in Sydney.

She went to MLC School and then the University of New South Wales. There, she earned degrees in Arts and Law. During her time at university, she was in a car accident and had a serious neck injury.

Early Political Career

Marise Payne joined the Liberal Party in 1982. She led the New South Wales Young Liberals from 1987 to 1988. Then, she became the national leader of the Young Liberals from 1989 to 1991. She was the first woman to hold this position.

From 1991 to 1997, she was part of the state executive for the Liberal Party in New South Wales. In 1994, she became the vice-chair of the Australian Republican Movement. This group supports Australia becoming a republic, meaning it would have its own head of state instead of the British monarch.

Becoming a Senator (1997–2023)

Payne early in her career

In March 1997, Marise Payne was chosen by the Liberal Party to become a Senator. This happened after another Senator, Bob Woods, resigned. She officially started her role on 9 April 1997.

Senators are elected to represent their state in the Australian Parliament. Marise Payne was re-elected several times, including in 2001, 2007, 2013, 2016, and 2022. Her office was in Parramatta, a suburb in western Sydney.

For her first ten years as a Senator, from 1997 to 2007, she was a "backbencher." This means she was a member of parliament but not a minister. During this time, she worked on various Senate committees. She led committees on Foreign Affairs, Defence, Trade, and Legal and Constitutional matters.

After the Liberal Party lost the 2007 election, she became a "shadow parliamentary secretary." This role involves helping the opposition party prepare for government. She focused on foreign affairs and helping Indigenous communities.

Ministerial Roles

When the Liberal Party won the 2013 federal election, Marise Payne became a Minister. A Minister is a senior member of the government who is in charge of a specific department or area.

Minister for Human Services (2013–2015)

From 2013 to 2015, Marise Payne was the Minister for Human Services. In this role, she oversaw government services that help people. For example, she announced that Medicare offices would close on Saturdays. She also helped create "myGov hybrid government shopfronts." These places help people set up online accounts for services like Centrelink and Medicare.

Minister for Defence (2015–2018)

Payne with U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter in October 2015

In September 2015, Marise Payne became the Minister for Defence. This was a very important job, and she was the first woman in Australia's history to hold this position.

As Defence Minister, she helped create the 2016 Defence White Paper. This document outlines Australia's defence plans for the future. She also announced a big project to build new submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. This project, worth $50 billion, created many jobs in Australia.

Payne with James Mattis, Malcolm Turnbull, Rex Tillerson, and Julie Bishop in June 2017

She also spoke about Australia's position on the South China Sea. She said that Australia has a strong relationship with China but would still speak up about its views.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (2018–2022)

Payne with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in February 2019

In August 2018, Marise Payne became the Minister for Foreign Affairs. This meant she was in charge of Australia's relationships with other countries. She was Australia's second female foreign minister.

After the 2019 election, she also became the Minister for Women. In this role, she worked on issues important to women in Australia.

In 2020, she called for a global investigation into how the COVID-19 pandemic started. She also welcomed the agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalize their relationship, seeing it as a step towards peace in the Middle East.

Payne and U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken have a joint press conference at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on 13 May 2021.

In 2021, she discussed important issues with New Zealand's Foreign Minister. She also spoke out about human rights concerns in Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. She urged China to protect human rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.

After Government (2022–2023)

Marise Payne was re-elected as a Senator in the 2022 federal election. However, the Liberal Party lost the election and became the Opposition. After this, Payne became a secretary in the "shadow ministry." She also worked on committees, including one for the National Anti-Corruption Commission. She announced her resignation as a Senator on 8 September 2023, which became effective on 30 September 2023.

Political Views

Marise Payne is known as a "moderate" Liberal. This means her views are often in the middle, rather than being very conservative. She has said, "I am a liberal, I am a member of the Liberal Party."

She supports Australia becoming a republic. She has also expressed concerns about how mandatory detention affects women and children who are seeking asylum. In 2004, she stated that women's rights and health should not go "backwards" regarding funding for certain medical procedures.

Sponsor of USS Canberra (LCS–30)

USS Canberra

Marise Payne is the "sponsor" for the littoral combat ship, USS Canberra. This is a special role where she helps connect the ship to its name city, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.

She visited the ship's builder in Alabama and even welded her initials into the ship's keel. She has given gifts of art to the ship. She was present at the ship's official launch ceremony in July 2023.

Personal Life

Marise Payne was in a long-term relationship with Stuart Ayres. He was a minister in the New South Wales state government. They met while working on a political campaign in 2007. They separated in 2024.