Cika wannan jumla: Penfold ya shiga Ofishin Majalisar Dokoki (Australia) a shekara ta 1977. A cikin 1993 ta zama mace ta farko da aka nada a matsayin First Parliamentary Counsel. Rubutun nata ya hada da dokar "Tampa" (Bill na Kariya na Border, wanda majalisar dattijai ta ƙi), gyare-gyaren dangantakar ma'aikata ("Workplace Relations Act 1996"), da kuma gyare-gyaren tsarin mulki wanda za a buƙaci ya haifar da wata doka mai mahimmanci.
Jamhuriyar Australiya a shekarar 1999. An ba ta lambar yabo ta Jama'a a shekarar 2000. A shekara ta 2001 ita ce mace ta farko da aka nada a matsayin Mashawarcin Sarauniya na Commonwealth.