Eric Abetz Quotes

Germany, Politician
January 25, 1958

Eric Abetz 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.

I don't believe that knifing and that sort of terminology is applicable to myself, but I try to the very best of my ability to be as honest as I can with my colleagues and with the electorate at large.

Eric Abetz
- Trying
- Ability
- Honest
Am I conservative? Yes, I am. I would have thought conservative is very much middle of the road, representative of the aspirational values of the Australian people. The extreme right has connotations with it that I would never seek to identify with.

Eric Abetz

I think most people would be surprised at the length of the day whilst you're campaigning and then the variety of things that you do and you're asked to do.

Eric Abetz
- People
- Variety
- Length
I might be a stalwart, but I'm not a kingmaker.

Eric Abetz
- Might
- Stalwart
I've always enjoyed mixing and mingling with the Tasmanian community and that's, if you like, the bread and butter of politics. And from my perspective, it's meant more time at home, which I also enjoy and it's also meant the greater interaction with the Tasmanian community. And it's also given me freedom to speak out.

Eric Abetz
- Home
- Community
- Enjoy
Things like Kitchen Cabinet, I'm not sure they necessarily tell the Australian people whether you have judgement, whether you have discernment, whether you have intellectual acuity, whether you are able to develop policy, whether you are able to represent individual cases to the highest levels of government successfully and in a manner that actually achieves outcomes.

Eric Abetz
I think the issue of marriage is a vitally important issue on which I would campaign heavily.

Eric Abetz
Trying to be just a parliamentarian doing your duty and trying to keep family out and also the celebrity status out is rare and hopefully I have been able thus far to - been able to protect my wife and children.

Eric Abetz
- Children
- Trying
- Wife