politician member of the Australian Senate
She attended MLC School, Burwood and then attended the University of New South Wales, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Laws.
She is a Liberal Party Senator for the state of New South Wales. Senator Payne was appointed to the Senate on 9 April 1997, and elected in 2001 for a full term, and again in 2007 and 2013. Payne was promoted to cabinet as Australia"s first female Minister for Defence, in the Turnbull Government, on 21 September 2015.
She also served for 10 years on the NSW Liberal State Executive.
On 3 February 1997, Senator Bob Woods announced his resignation from the Senate, citing the need to spend more time with his family, to take effect from 7 March 1997. Payne was endorsed by the Liberal Party for the casual vacancy, and assumed office on 9 April 1997.
In September 2010 Payne was appointed Shadow Minister for Indigenous Development and Employment, Shadow Minister for COAG and Shadow Minister for Housing by Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott. She previously held the positions of Shadow Minister for COAG and Modernising the Federation, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous Affairs.
Payne was Minister for Human Services in the Abbott Government from 18 September 2013 until 20 September 2015.
Payne was appointed Minister for Defence in the Turnbull Government from 21 September 2015.
A member of the Liberal Party since 1982, Payne was the Young Liberal Movement"s first female Federal President (from 1989 to 1991) and was NSW State President during 1987 and 1988. Payne has been a member of a range of legislative and policy committees in the Australian Parliament, including the Senate Privileges Committee and the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade.