Penny Wong is the first person to win the non-partisan McKinnon prize for political leadership twice.
The foreign minister and Labor senator was named a recipient of the 2022 prize for political leadership on Monday, alongside Independent MP Dr Helen Haines, who was recognised as an emerging leader.
Senator Wong was previously recognised with the gong in 2018. This year, she has been credited for her example as an active listener on Australia’s diplomatic stage to build the nation’s standing in the region.
Former Victorian premier and selection panel member John Brumby said Wong’s consistency as a “true statesperson” delivered calm and commanding diplomacy for Australia.
“She is highly effective internationally and displays the values Australians respect in their political leaders,” Brumby said.
“Penny has shifted the tone of Australia’s international dialogues and relationships for the better. She’s been engaging but firmly building genuine relationships in the Pacific, as well as refreshing and restarting our relationship with China and we’re seeing the benefits of that now,” he said.
Commentators agree that the tone of Australia’s foreign policy doctrine has shifted with Wong in charge of the foreign affairs portfolio. In her first 100 days in the job, she took four trips to the Pacific and three trips to Southeast Asia, and was the first Australian minister to meet with Chinese counterparts in three years.
In a statement, Wong said the new Labor government which was voted to power last May, faced the world as it was.
“I’ve placed a priority on re-engaging with our region and renewing our relationships,” Wong said, noting the government wanted to shape the world for the better.
“As foreign minister, this means using all elements of our power — strategic, economic, social and diplomatic — to advance our interests and values.”
This selection panel for this year’s prize was led by UTS chancellor Catherine Livingstone, Kungarakan Elder and University of Canberra chancellor Professor Tom Calma, Macquarie University chancellor and former PM&C secretary Martin Parkinson, and former cabinet minister Kelly O’Dwyer, amongst others.
Congratulations to @SenatorWong for being awarded this year's McKinnon Prize for Political Leader of the Year and to @helenhainesindi for being recognised as the Emerging Political Leader of the Year.
It is a privilege to serve alongside Senator Wong in the Senate.
Dr Haines is…
— David Pocock (@DavidPocock) March 12, 2023
Haines, who represents the electorate of Indi, was described by Parkinson as a champion of the “art of the possible” in her campaign to bring integrity issues to the top of the political agenda.
“Helen wasn’t the only one to have made integrity an issue, but what was truly outstanding was the way in which she gradually built support across her community and across the broader parliamentary community,” Parkinson said.
“What she did was to find a way to walk a path through all the competing groups and ended up with a policy position that everybody could come in behind.”
The selection panel commended the independent MP for her considerable impact as a “community-driven” and collaborative leader on the national stage. In particular, they said her contribution to the electorate she represented and national policy work was illustrated and demonstrated through the Beechworth Principles petition to parliament and subsequent consensus building over time.
This groundwork eventually led to the parliament legislating for a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) last year.
Leading a grassroots campaign that made the local community invest in integrity matters was an unusual feat, Haines added.
“It showed proper grassroots democracy. She took up an issue — that for many people was probably distant — and gave them a mechanism whereby they could contribute,” Parkinson said.
Haines said representing Indi was the “honour of her life” and spurred her work to lift integrity, accountability and transparency in federal politics.
Paying tribute to the Susan McKinnon Foundation and the University of Melbourne for their work promoting Australian democracy, the federal politician went on to say the establishment of the NACC was the most significant integrity reform at a federal level in more than 40 years.
“I am incredibly proud to have played a role in that, and look forward to continuing to work to improve integrity and transparency in politics,” she said.
Former winners of the prize have included former speaker Tony Smith, mayor Teresa Harding, health minister Greg Hunt and MP Dr Anne Aly.
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