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Vanessa Bleyer

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Senator
Vanessa Bleyer
Senator for Tasmania
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 August 2026
Preceded byPeter Whish-Wilson
Personal details
Born (1975-07-22) 22 July 1975 (age 51)
Auckland, New Zealand
CitizenshipNew Zealand (1975–2021)
Austria (1975–2000)
Australia (from 2000)
PartyGreens
ProfessionEnvironmental lawyer
Websitegreens.org.au/tas/person/vanessa-bleyer

Vanessa Elizabeth Bleyer[1] (/ˈblaɪər/ BLIRE;[2] born 22 July 1975)[3] is an Australian politician and a Senator for Tasmania representing the Greens since 2026. She replaced Peter Whish-Wilson in the Senate following his retirement from politics.

Pre-political career

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Before her appointment to the Senate, Bleyer worked as an environmental lawyer. She served as president of Lawyers for Forests from 2003 to 2007, as chair of Environment Tasmania from 2012 to 2015, and as native forests spokesperson for the Australia Institute from 2023 to 2024.[4][5]

Politics

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Bleyer has run for the Greens at a number of elections at state and federal level. In 2015, she ran for Windermere in the state upper house.[6] She then ran as the Greens' second Senate candidate in 2022 and 2025, behind successfully elected candidates Peter Whish-Wilson and Nick McKim respectively.[7][8] At the 2025 state election, she was the party's lead candidate in Braddon.[9] She was not successful in any of these elections. She also stood in 2015 as a candidate in the Greens' internal preselection for Christine Milne's successor in the Senate, a contest won by McKim.[10]

In April 2026, it was announced that Bleyer had won a preselection to succeed Whish-Wilson in the Senate, who had announced his retirement. She received 42.25% of the vote in a contest against three other candidates including state MP Tabatha Badger.[11][12] On 20 August 2026, she was appointed to the Senate by a joint sitting of the Parliament of Tasmania.[13][14] She will serve the remainder of Whish-Wilson's term which will expire in 2028.[15]

In the 2026 Australian Greens leadership election, Bleyer ran for Deputy Leader of the Greens. She placed second with 3 votes in the first round, and 5 votes in the second, losing to Steph Hodgins-May She also ran for Greens Deputy Whip, losing 7-4 to Penny Allman-Payne.[16]

Personal life

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Bleyer's father was businessman Roland Bleyer. When Vanessa was 14, Roland left Australia and did not return for a number of years. This left Bleyer's family unable to pay their bills and resulted in them being evicted from their home.[17][18]

Bleyer lives in West Launceston.

References

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  1. ↑ Bleyer, Vanessa (31 August 2009). "Second affidavit of Vanessa Elizabeth Bleyer" (PDF). Melbourne, Victoria.
  2. ↑ Bleyer, Vanessa [@vanessa4greens]; (26 June 2025). "Public education should be free. 📚". Tasmania. Retrieved 19 July 2026 – via Instagram.
  3. ↑ "Senator Vanessa Bleyer". Senators and Members. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
  4. ↑ McKay, Ben (14 April 2026). "Greens confirm environmental lawyer as newest senator". New Daily. Melbourne, Victoria. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Vanessa Bleyer". Bleyer Lawyers. Launceston, Tasmania. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  6. ↑ Burgess, Georgie (7 May 2015). "Bleyer throws hat in ring". Examiner. Launceston, Tasmania. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
  7. ↑ Green, Antony (23 June 2022). "Senate Results". ABC News. Sydney. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Green, Antony (8 June 2025). "Senate Results". ABC News. Sydney. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
  9. ↑ Briggs, Casey. "Braddon – TAS Election 2025". ABC News. Sydney. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
  10. ↑ Smiley, Stephen (30 July 2015). "Nick McKim confirmed as Senate successor to former Greens leader Christine Milne". ABC News. Sydney. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "Lawyer Vanessa Bleyer to replace Peter Whish-Wilson as Greens senator for Tasmania". ABC News. 14 April 2026. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
  12. ↑ "Greens lawyer confirmed as new Tasmanian senator". The Mercury. 20 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Senator Vanessa Bleyer". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
  14. ↑ "Legislative Council Thursday 20 August 2026". Parliament of Tasmania. 20 August 2026. Retrieved 2 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "Senators—service expiry dates". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Breaking: David Shoebridge named new Greens leader after three-way contest". ABC News. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  17. ↑ Ford, Sean (18 July 2025). "She was just a kid when her father walked and bankers booted out her family". Advocate. Burnie, Tasmania. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
  18. ↑ Butler, Ben (26 April 2014). "Padbury Mining's $6.4b financier raises questions". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
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