Long-term senator from New South Wales Marise Payne has been elevated to the position of Australian defence minister -- the first woman to ever hold the portfolio.
Payne, who has served in the upper house for the Liberal party since 1997, was promoted to the powerful ministry by new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in a big ministerial reshuffle on Sunday.
Turnbull had promised to appoint more women to his frontbench after his predecessor Tony Abbott famously gave only one woman, his deputy Julie Bishop, a senior portfolio in 2013.
But the 51-year-old senator has been long touted to step out from the shadows and take a more prominent public position.
She's been serving in the outer ministry as Tony Abbott's minister for human services since 2013 and before that served in several shadow portfolios in opposition.
Payne has been vocal about doing more to stop violence against women.
This week we have lost 3 women and 1 child to domestic violence, & that’s just the ones we know of. It’s time to say enough #stoptheviolence
And gain gender balance and equality in the work place.
.@leighsales Drawing a great picture w #MaleChampionsofChange really bringing it home today! @LizBroderick #auspol
But of course she's also a BIG rugby league fan.
I have one thing to say @NRL_Dragons #redv Go Dragons! Love your work #NRLBulldogsDragons