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Eric Abetz (born 25 January 1958) is an Australian politician. He was a Senator for Tasmania from 1994 to 2022, representing the Liberal Party, and since March 2024 has been a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the Franklin electorate.
He was the Minister for Employment and the Leader of the Government in the Senate in the Abbott government from 2013 to 2015. He previously also served as Special Minister of State in the Howard government from 2001 to 2006 and as Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation from 2006 to 2007.
Born in Germany, Abetz emigrated to Australia as a small child, when his father came to work for Tasmania's Hydro Tasmania. He was educated at the University of Tasmania and was a barrister and solicitor before entering politics. He is a former national president of the Australian Liberal Students' Federation and was state president of the Tasmanian Liberals from 1990 to 1994.
Eric Abetz's great uncle, Otto Abetz, was a Nazi SS officer, German ambassador to Vichy France, and a convicted war criminal. Eric's grandfather was Karl Abetz, a professor of forestry science, who joined the Nazi Party in 1933 and became general consultant of the Reich Forestry Office in 1942.
Abetz married Michelle Oates in 1991, and they had three children. His wife died of cancer in 2019. He is a Christian.
Abetz's brother, Peter Abetz, was the Liberal member for Southern River in the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from the 2008 state election until 2017.
Abetz studied at Taroona High School, Hobart Matriculation College and the University of Tasmania, earning degrees in law and arts in 1981. He served as president of the University of Tasmania Liberal Club, and in 1980–1981, he became the first 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.
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." Eric Abetz website ",
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.
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. This allowed him to position the government's priorities as mainstream issues which both major parties wanted action on." 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
Abetz is a member of the National Right faction of the Liberal Party.
In August 2014 Abetz received criticism from the media and politicians such as the Greens' Adam Bandt for making claims of a link between abortion and breast cancer when appearing on The Project. He had been on The Project to discuss his association with the World Congress of Families.
It was reported in May 2015 that Abetz was quoted as saying of Joe de Bruyn, national president of the SDA, the largest private sector trade union in Australia, that "he is a role model of trade union officialdom. He is the type of official that gives trade unionism a good name." De Bruyn spent 36 years as National Secretary of the SDA, known for its close relationships with major employers such as Coles and Woolworths. De Bruyn had also been known for his staunch and vocal opposition to same-sex marriage.
Abetz is a Christians 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." Know Your Politician Information Series " In October 2015, Abetz attracted controversy after referring to Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court as a "negro American" during a radio interview.
In 2017 when Cory Bernardi moved a motion to ban abortion on gender grounds Abetz was 1 of the 10 who voted Yes on the Motion. It was voted down with (10–36).
Abetz is a public opponent of same-sex marriage, and was one of twelve senators who voted against the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017, which legalised same-sex marriage in Australia.
During Senate debates regarding the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (Facilitation) Bill, presented by Senator Cory Bernardi in November 2017, Abetz strongly endorsed the prospect of nuclear power in Australia. He described nuclear power as "the very best source of energy production that science has to offer the world" and claimed that it offered "affordable and reliable energy, with no emissions at all."
As for that Higgins girl, anybody so disgustingly drunk who would sleep with anybody could have slept with one of our spies and put the security of the nation at risk.Hickey also alleged that Abetz had told her "not to worry" about the separate allegation against federal Attorney-General Christian Porter that he had raped a woman in 1988, as "the woman is dead and the law will protect Porter". Abetz "categorically denied" making any of these comments and accused Hickey of "trying to destroy the Liberal party". Hickey responded to Abetz by accusing him of "grubby politics" and said that she stood by her statement.
Later on 24 March, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, stating that Hickey had raised the matter of Abetz's comments with him weeks earlier and requested Morrison to "consider the matters raised".
On 31 August 2022, the Australian Monarchist League announced Abetz as Campaign Director of the Vote No Republic campaign.
On 23 March 2024, Abetz was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the Franklin electorate. Abetz was appointed as Minister for Business, Industry and Resources and Minister for Transport in the Rockliff Government as well as leader of the House.
Abetz was re-elected at the 2025 Tasmanian state election.
He was appointed as the inaugural Minister for Macquarie Point Urban Renewal.
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