Eric Abetz [SEP] position held
Eric Abetz
Eric Abetz (born 25 January 1958) is an Australian politician who has been a Senator for Tasmania since February 1994, representing the Liberal Party. 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,
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Following the 2015 leadership spill that saw Malcolm Turnbull replace Abbott as prime minister, Colbeck was appointed as the Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment and the Minister for Tourism and International Education in the First Turnbull Ministry from September 2015 to July 2016.
At the 2016 federal election, Colbeck was demoted to fifth place on the Liberal Senate ticket. He blamed factional opponent Eric Abetz for his failure to win a higher position on the ticket. He polled an unusually high below-the-line tally, attributed