Eric Abetz
| Eric Abetz | |
|---|---|
| Senator for Tasmania | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office February 1994 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 January 1958 Stuttgart, Germany |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Alma mater | University of Tasmania |
| Profession | Barrister |
| Religion | Dutch Reformed |
Eric Abetz (born 25 January 1958 in Stuttgart, West Germany), has been a Liberal Party member of the Australian Senate since February 1994, representing the state of Tasmania. He is currently Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. He was educated at the University of Tasmania and was a barrister and solicitor before entering politics. He was Tasmanian State President of the Liberal Party 1990-1994.
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[edit] Family
The youngest of six children, Abetz emigrated with his parents to Australia in 1961. His father, a radio technician, decided to emigrate after reading in a newspaper that a trade mission led by the minister responsible for the Tasmanian Hydro Electric Commission was visiting Stuttgart in search of skilled workers for employment in new 'Hydro' power schemes. His father was one of those employed by that scheme.[1] Abetz's brother is Reverend Peter Abetz who won the lower house seat of Southern River in the 2008 Western Australian state election for the Liberal Party. Abetz is the great-nephew of SS-Brigadeführer Otto Abetz, Nazi German ambassador to Vichy France from 1940 to 1944.[2]
[edit] Studies
Abetz studied at Taroona High School, Hobart Matriculation College and the University of Tasmania, earning degrees in law and arts in 1981. He notes that his political ideology was moulded by his university experience, where he was told that his exam results would not be credited unless he joined the Australian Union of Students, saying "I found the notion of "no ticket, no start" to be repulsive and obnoxious and still do". In 1980-1981, he became the only Tasmanian to become national president of the Australian Liberal Students' Federation, during which time he came into political conflict with Nick Sherry and Sue Mackay, both later to be Australian Labor Party senators.[1]
[edit] Political career
He won preselection to fill the casual vacancy caused by the resignation of Brian Archer in 1994, and was elected in his own right at the subsequent 1998 election and re-elected in 2004. Abetz was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence 1998-2001 and was Special Minister of State from January 2001 until 2006.
He has served as Chairman of the Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund Committee and Chairman of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee. He also served as Chairman of the Attorney-General and Justice Government Members' Committee.[3]
He was a member of a Parliamentary Delegation which visited France and Belgium in June and July 1997, and made an official visit to the United Kingdom in September 1999.[4]
He was Minister for Forestry from a reshuffle of the Howard ministry in January 2006 until its defeat at the 2007 election. He commenced his portfolio by attacking the Australian Greens and environmentalists in general as anti-Australian. He described the campaign against woodchipping as "akin to treason" and branded the Greens an "extreme left" party.[5] This allowed him to position the government's priorities as mainstream issues which both major parties wanted action on.[6]
Abetz was re-elected in the 2010 election and is the Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations; and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate[7]
Abetz is a Christian and a member of the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia. Throughout his political career he has been variously associated with conservative groups, including the Association of Christian Parent Controlled Schools, Salt Shakers, Focus on the Family, Lyons Forum, Endeavour Forum, Family Council of Victoria, Fatherhood Foundation, Australian Christian Lobby, Australian Family Association and Right to Life Australia.[8]
[edit] OzCar affair
In mid 2009 Abetz was a central figure in the OzCar affair, which involved allegations that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan had improperly given favourable treatment to a car dealer, John Grant, who was a friend of the Prime Minister. At a Senate inquiry on 19 June, Abetz asked a series of questions of a Treasury official, Godwin Grech, who testified that he had a "recollection" that a member of Rudd's staff had sent him an email in February, asking that he provide preferential treatment to Grant. Abetz read out the text of what he said was an email, which purported to ask for preferential treatment for Grant.[9] [10] On 4 August 2009, Grech admitted that he had forged the email.[11] Abetz then issued an apology, saying: "I am not only sorry to Malcolm Turnbull but to the Australian people and any anguish that may have been occasioned to Kevin Rudd and other people."[12]
[edit] Eligibility to hold Senate office
On 30 July 2010, a Tasmanian resident, John Hawkins, lodged an objection to Eric Abetz's nomination for reelection alleging that Abetz holds dual citizenship of both his birthplace, Germany, and Australia.[13] The Australian Constitution prevents someone who is a citizen of a foreign country from holding Parliamentary office. Hawkins subsequently withdrew the petition to the High Court of Australia after receiving documentation of Abetz's renunciation of German citizenship. As a result, the High Court never heard the claim.[14]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Wilson, Peter (2002). The Australian Political Almanack.
- ^ Campbell, James; Wright, Lincoln (2 March 2008). "My family's Nazi past". Sunday Herald Sun. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23304146-661,00.html.
- ^ "Eric Abetz website",
- ^ "Parliamentary biography"
- ^ Ferguson, Peter (September 2009). "Anti-environmentalism and the Australian culture war". Journal of Australian Studies 33 (3): 289–304. doi:10.1080/14443050903079680.
- ^ "Senator Abetz starts new portfolio with attack on Greens", ABC Tasmania, 25 January 2005; "New Forestry Minister rebuffs Greens", The World Today, ABC, 25 January 2006
- ^ Coalition Shadow Ministry
- ^ "Know Your Politician Information Series"
- ^ http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/19/2603474.htm
- ^ http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/19/2603260.htm
- ^ "Grech 'wrote fake email'". The Age (Melbourne). 4 August 2009. http://www.theage.com.au/national/grech-wrote-fake-email-20090804-e7fm.html.
- ^ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/liberal-senator-eric-abetz-apology-for-ute-gate-debacle/story-e6frf7l6-1225758392020
- ^ http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/07/30/162211_tasmania-news.html
- ^ Helen Kempton, "Abetz Hits Smear Campaign"http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/11/16/186311_tasmania-news.html
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Chris Ellison |
Special Minister of State 2001–2006 |
Succeeded by Gary Nairn |
| Preceded by Ian Macdonald |
Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation 2006–2007 |
Title abolished |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Nick Minchin |
Leader of the Liberal Party in the Senate 2010–present |
Incumbent |
