While by no means a novice in the world of Australian politics, the latest play from architect Shelley Penn could end up being her most serious yet.
The Former national president of the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) recently announced that she will contest for one of the six Senate Parliamentary seats available to Victorian candidates at the next Australian Federal election.
Penn will run as one of three Victorian Australian Labor Party candidates alongside the incumbent Kim Carr and current Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Stephen Conroy.
While it would be her first parliamentary position, Penn has worked for a number of government institutions in the past, at both state and federal level. She was Victoria’s first Associate Government Architect, chair of National Capital Authority and was the deputy chair of Heritage Council of Victoria.
She has also served on a number of Design Review Panels in the states of Victoria and South Australia as well as special panel for Sydney’s Barangaroo development.
Besides these roles, Penn’s history as a voice for female practitioners in the architecture industry is well-known and in 2014, Penn was named one of the top 100 Women of Influence by The Australian Financial Review and Westpac Bank.
The next Federal election will be a half senate election and is due before the 14 January 2017.
