Peter Abetz
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The Reverend Peter Abetz |
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|---|---|
| Member of the Western Australian Parliament for Southern River |
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In office 6 September 2008 – 11 March 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Andrews |
| Succeeded by | Terry Healy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
17 December 1952 Stuttgart, Germany |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Relations |
Eric Abetz Otto Abetz |
| Occupation | Minister of religion |
| Website | http://www.peterabetz.com |
Peter Abetz (born 17 December 1952) is an Australian former politician who was a Liberal member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 2008 to 2017, representing Southern River.
Abetz is one of six children. His parents migrated to Tasmania from Germany in 1961. His father, a radio technician, decided to emigrate after reading in a newspaper that a trade mission led by the minister responsible for the Tasmanian Hydro-Electric Commission was visiting Stuttgart in search of skilled workers for employment in "The Hydro's" power projects, on which his father subsequently worked. Abetz's younger brother, Eric Abetz has represented the state of Tasmania in the Australian Senate since 1994, serving as a minister in the Howard and Abbott governments. Abetz is the great-nephew of convicted Nazi war criminal, SS-Brigadeführer Otto Abetz, Nazi German ambassador to Vichy France from 1940 to 1944. He is also related on his mother's side to German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.
Abetz attended Moonah and Blackmans Bay State Schools, completed his high schooling at Taroona High School and matriculated in one year at Hobart Matriculation College in 1969. He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hons) degree from Tasmania University and a Bachelor of Divinity from the Reformed Theological College in Geelong. He is married to Jenny (née Hoogenhout) and has five adult children.
In 1974, Peter Abetz worked as a farm advisory officer in the Tasmanian Department of Agriculture based in Huonville, before running a small statewide rural supplies business. After completing a Bachelor of Divinity, he was ordained as a pastor in the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia and served in that capacity for 25 years before entering Parliament. He served congregations in Dandenong, Victoria, Willetton, Western Australia and North Beach, Western Australia. On being elected to parliament he took up residence in the electorate of Southern River.
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