Eric Abetz was born on 25 January 1958 in Stuttgart, Germany. Coming to Tasmania with his parents in 1961, his father worked alongside many other immigrant Tasmanians on the Hydro Schemes. Eric attended Moonah and Blackmans Bay Primary Schools, Taroona High School and Hobart Matriculation College. He then went on to study Arts and Law at the University of Tasmania.
While at University, Eric worked as a part-time taxi driver and farm hand. At University he was a member of the Student Representative Council for 5 years, president of the University Liberal Club and the only Tasmanian to be president of the Australian Liberal Students’ Federation (ALSF) and life member.
After University, Eric worked in Hobart’s northern suburbs in a legal practice before entering into the firm Abetz, Curtis & Dutton which had 2 offices; one in Hobart and one in Kingston.
Joining the Liberal Party in 1976, Senator Abetz became the State President in 1989, a position that he held until his appointment to the Senate on the 22nd of February, 1994 to fill a casual Senate vacancy. Since his appointment, he has been re-elected in 1998, 2004 and 2010.
Since being chosen by the people of Tasmania to be one of their representatives in the Australian Senate, Eric has been able to contribute to many of the things that have shaped the country to the way it is today. Tasmania is firmly on the map with Eric as one of the Senators fighting for Tasmania’s interests.