Eric Abetz

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On 24 March 2021, two days after Tasmanian House of Assembly speaker Sue Hickey resigned from the Liberal Party to sit as an independent, Hickey accused Abetz in the House of making "slut-shaming" comments on Brittany Higgins, who allegedly had been raped by a male staffer in the Federal Parliament in Canberra. Hickey claimed that Abetz had told her at a citizenship ceremony in Hobart on 1 March:

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. [33] [34]

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. [33] [34]

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". [33] [34]

Defeat at 2022 federal election

Since entering the Senate, Abetz was always placed first in Liberal Party preselection for Senate elections, which all but guaranteed him winning one of the six Senate seats normally available for the state. On 8 May 2021, it was announced that, for the next federal election, he had been dropped to third place, substantially reducing his prospect of re-election. [35] This ended up costing him his seat at the election in May 2022, as Jacqui Lambie Network candidate Tammy Tyrrell won the state's sixth Senate seat ahead of Abetz. [36] [37] As a result, his Senate term ended on 30 June 2022. [38]

On 31 August 2022, the Australian Monarchist League announced Abetz as Campaign Director of the Vote No Republic campaign. [39] [40]

State politics

On 7 January 2024, it was reported that Abetz would seek the preselection of the Liberal Party as a candidate for Franklin at the 2024 Tasmanian state election. [41] [42]

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.

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Eric Abetz
MP
Senator Eric Abetz crop b.jpg
Leader of the Government in the Senate
In office
18 September 2013 21 September 2015
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Senator for Tasmania
1994–2022
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Special Minister of State
2001–2006
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation
2006–2007
Title abolished
Preceded byas Minister for Employment and Minister for Skills and Training Minister for Employment
2013–2015
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Liberal Party in the Senate
2010–2015
Succeeded by