New Fisheries Minister - Sen Eric Abetz

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ABETZ, the Hon. Eric
Senator for Tasmania
Liberal Party of Australia
Parliamentary service
Chosen by the Parliament of Tasmania on 22.2.1994 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice BR Archer (resigned) (term ended 30.6.1999). Elected 1998 (term began 1.7.1999) and 2004.

Ministerial appointments
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence from 21.10.98 to 30.1.01.
Special Minister of State from 30.1.01.
Committee service
Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances from 24.2.94 to 29.4.96; Senators' Interests from 24.3.94 to 8.2.01.
Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Environment, Recreation and the Arts from 1.3.94 to 10.10.94; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References Committee from 10.10.94 to 29.4.96; Legal and Constitutional: References Committee from 10.10.94 to 9.11.98 and Legislation Committee from 10.10.94 to 17.10.94 and from 8.5.96 (Chair from 3.3.97) to 9.11.98.

Participating member, Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation Committee from 11.10.94 to 9.11.98 and References Committee from 5.2.97 to 9.11.98; Participating member, Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation and References Committees from 26.11.98; Participating member, Community Affairs: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 and References Committee from 5.2.97; Participating member, Economics: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 and References Committee from 19.6.96; Participating member, Employment, Education and Training: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 to 9.11.98 and References Committee from 5.2.97 to 9.11.98; Participating member, Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation and References Committee from 26.11.98 to 11.2.02; Participating member, Employment, Workplace Relations and Education: Legislation and References Committees from 11.3.02; Participating member, Finance and Public Administration: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 and References Committee from 5.2.97; Participating member, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 and References Committee from 5.2.97; Participating member, Legal and Constitutional: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 to 29.4.96 and from 26.11.98 and References Committee from 26.11.98; Participating member, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 and References Committee from 5.2.97.

Senate Select: Unresolved Whistleblower Cases from 1.12.94 to 26.10.95; Victorian Casino Inquiry from 20.5.96 to 5.12.96.

Senate Estimates: D from 28.2.94 to 12.5.94; F from 12.5.94 to 10.10.94.
Joint Statutory: Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund from 31.5.96 (Chair from 19.6.96 to 4.6.97) to 8.2.01.

Joint Standing: Electoral Matters from 28.3.95 to 3.9.97; Treaties from 31.5.96 to 31.8.98.
Joint Select: Republic Referendum from 21.6.99 to 9.8.99.
Conferences, delegations and visits
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to France and Belgium, June-July 1997.
Official visit to UK, September 1999.
Party positions
President, Australian Liberal Students' Federation 1978.
State President, Liberal Party (Tas) 1990-94.
Personal
Born 25.1.1958, Stuttgart, Germany.
Married.
Qualifications and occupation before entering federal Parliament
BA, LLB (Tas).
Barrister and solicitor.

[Jeremy]

so what does all that mean to us - good, bad or undecided?

Jeremy

[RobSee]

Senator Abetz starts new portfolio with attack on Greens
Wednesday, 25 January 2006

Presenter: Tim Cox

In the cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minster, John Howard yesterday Tasmanian Senator Eric Abetz has been promoted to the Forestry, Fishing and Conservation ministry.

The former Special Minister of State has expressed delight at his appointment and highlighted the importance of the portfolio to Tasmania as being one of the key reasons behind his pleasure.

He has immediately however angered conservation groups by comments made since his appointment.

In a wide-ranging interview with ABC Tasmania’s Tim Cox, Senator Abetz openly attacked the Greens as a group and Senator Bob Brown in particular as well as describing the media as giving the Greens an easier time than the other parties.

He described the Greens as now representing the extreme left of Australian politics and suggested that there was mostly general agreement between the two major parties on the areas for which he is now responsible in his ministry.

Senator Abetz says that a media imbalance exists in Australia.

“Unfortunately the Greens get a disproportionate amount of media time and media space that needs to be addressed and redressed so that a more balanced argument is presented to the Australian public,” he said.

After a Ministerial incoming briefing Senator Abetz will undertake a series of meetings with industry and conservation leaders around the country to get across the issues of the portfolio.

These meetings include discussion with his predecessor Senator Ian McDonald. He has rejected suggestion that Senator McDonald lost the position for lack of performance and suggested that the Prime Minister was looking for ‘new blood’.

Senator Abetz’s most strident criticism was reserved for Greens Senator, Bob Brown, suggesting that if the Australian public observed the Senator’s performance over the course of a week that his senate vote would fall.

When questioned as to what he meant he replied:

“It’s stunt after stunt, you can always tell when it’s broadcast day in the Senate because that’s when Bob Brown gets up to raise his points of order,” he said. “If there’s a media show on Bob Brown’s there”.

Senator Abetz further suggested that Senator Brown has not always attended Senate Environment Committee meetings and has given untrue reasons for his non-attendance.

On specific Tasmanian issues Senator Abetz expressed his in principle support for the proposed pulp mill in the Tamar Valley.

He did however suggest that some areas of the proposal would need to be changed by the planning process.

Vica Bayley from the Wilderness Society has criticised the Minister’s early comments.

“For his initial statements to be such a brick wall, basically refusing dialogue and essentially attacking the Greens and Bob Brown doesn’t bode well for the future”.

“We look forward to working with Senator Abetz,”he said. “We hope to do the best we can in that relationship but it’s not exactly an olive branch”.

His view was echoed by Tasmanian Greens leader, Peg Putt, who suggested Senator Abetz was disregarding the Tasmanian voters who chose to support her party. She suggested that polls indicated a similar level of support for the Tasmanian Greens as for the Tasmanian Liberals.

[fish2eat]

He's off to a good start, hopefully he will blow away that stupid private members bill (animal cruely) that idiot Sen Bartlett put up.

[Gazza]

Batter-up Sen. A2Z...... thankyou

I'll give you a home run for that accurate summary