Marise Payne (1981) Marise Payne (1981) was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2018. A Senator since 1997, Marise Payne is also the Minister for Women. She was formerly Minister for Defence from 2015 to 2018, and held numerous other positions beforehand. Marise graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Laws from the University of NSW. In 1987 Marise became NSW Young Liberal President before going on to become the first female Federal President in 1989. Away from politics, she is a passionate NRL and AFL fan, an enthusiastic supporter of the arts in Australia, spends as much time as she can in the Southern Highlands and she cooks for therapy. Marise is also a keen horse owner and racing enthusiast. Marise was recognised with an Alumnae Award in 2020, see more here. – Content extracted from Lucis, June 2014. More Information: