After growing up in Sydney and the NSW Southern Highlands, Marise Payne went on to complete her education at MLC School, Burwood and her Bachelor of Arts and Laws at the University of NSW.
A member of the Liberal Party since 1982, Marise was the National Young Liberal Movement's first female President. She also served on the NSW Liberal State Executive for 10 years and at branch and electorate levels.
Having served as a political adviser to some of the most significant figures in Liberal politics of their time, Marise went on to a career as a public affairs adviser in the finance industry.In 1997 Marise filled a casual vacancy to represent the people of New South Wales in the Australian Senate, making her inaugural speech on 2 September 1997. She was then elected in 2001 and 2007.
Marise is Shadow Minister for COAG [Council of Australian Governments] and Modernising the Federation. She plays an active role in the Senate and has been a member of both Joint and Senate committees, including as Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade and as Chair of its Human Rights subcommittee. In 2008 Marise chaired the Senate Select Committee on Housing Affordability in Australia and the Committee's report: A good house is hard to find: Housing Affordability in Australia was tabled on 16 June 2008.
Based in western Sydney for over ten years, Marise has come to know the local community well and now works alongside local organisations and businesses to help the region develop its great potential.
Outside parliament, Marise continues to work in the community on issues as diverse as human rights, emerging technologies and the implications of our ageing population.
Away from politics, she is a committed fan of the NSW Waratahs and the St George/Illawarra NRL team, an enthusiastic supporter of the arts in Australia, spends as much time as she can in the Southern Highlands and she cooks and reads crime novels for therapy!