Greens confirm environmental lawyer as newest senator

Vanessa Bleyer will become the newest member of the Australian Senate after winning the four-horse race between Green candidates.

The environmental lawyer will replace retiring Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, who announced he was leaving politics last October.

Ms Bleyer, who lives in Stanley on Tasmania’s north-west coast, is a former president of Forest Lawyers, chair of Environment Tasmania and native forests spokesperson for the Australia Institute.

A 50-year-old veteran anti-forestry campaigner is taking legal action to stop a pulp mill being built in northern Tasmania, a pet project of the former state Labor government.

“I look forward to delivering results for Tasmanians in the Senate, including ending native forest logging and providing safe and secure housing for those left deforested,” he said.

Ms Bleyer is likely to take up Senator Whish-Wilson’s seat in Canberra in August, when she is expected to leave the post she has held since 2012.

Senator Whish-Wilson has held a number of positions during her tenure but is most recently best known for berating Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after the 2025 budget.

The Australian constitution requires that retiring senators be replaced by a member of their own party, appointed by the state or territory parliament.

According to the convention, it is up to the party to choose the candidate; The Greens open the vacant quota for member candidates and then hold a referendum.

Ms Bleyer beat out three other candidates: Alistair Allan, Tabatha Badger and Scott Jordan, with 42 per cent of the vote.

Incumbent state MP Ms Badger congratulated Ms Bleyer on her win.

“Today’s result is a good result for Tasmania; we have a great new senator and I am fully committed to continuing to serve the people of Lyon through my role in the Tasmanian parliament,” he said in a statement.