"This appointment strengthens our judicial system and ensures that Tasmania's courts continue to reflect the society they judge - a society that contains an equal mixture of women and men," she said.
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"Shan's appointment is one of absolute merit, coming from a wide field of experienced applicants."
Ms Jackson said in June last year that she was determined the next Supreme Court judge would be a woman - sparking dissent from the Opposition, which said the appointment should be based purely on merit.
Mrs Tennent said that the promotion was a career progression after six and a half years as a magistrate and 20 years in private practice, and she played down the significance of being the first female judge."There's been far too much speculation about emphasis on gender rather than qualifications," she said.
When asked what kind of judge she wanted to be, Mrs Tennent replied: "A fair one."
"It's a progression in my career and ... I'm sure I will enjoy it."
Opposition justice spokesman Michael Hodgman welcomed Mrs Tennent to the bench but maintained his criticism of the way the appointment was handled.
"The Attorney-General had spelled out from the start that she only ever intended to appoint a woman - a blatant breach of her own anti-discrimination laws," he said.
"It is disappointing that Tasmania's male lawyers were effectively told not to bother to apply for this appointment."
Greens justice spokesman Nick McKim welcomed Mrs Tennent's appointment.
"The bench of the Supreme Court has been male-dominated for too long," he said.
"It's great news that the best person for the job is a woman."
Mrs Tennent studied at the University of Queensland and has practised law in Tasmania since 1977.
She was a partner for 15 years at Hobart firm Page Seager and became a magistrate and coroner in 1998.
Mrs Tennent is vice-president of the State branch of the Association of Australian Magistrates and secretary and treasurer of the Tasmanian Magistrates Association.
She has also twice been the president of the Family Law Practitioners Association.
Ms Jackson said on June 2 that when Chief Justice William Cox took statutory retirement when he turned 70, in 2006, she was determined that the next appointment to the bench would be a woman.
"This appointment will of course be based on merit principles but alongside other important considerations - such as the diversification of the bench," Ms Jackson told Budget Estimates hearings at the time.
Premier Paul Lennon said at that time that it had been a goal of the State Government to have more women represented in senior positions.
That sparked complaints from the Tasmanian Bar Association and the Law Society of Tasmania, which said the appointment should be based purely on merit, not gender.
The position eventually became available not because Chief Justice Cox retired but because he was appointed Governor of Tasmania after the demise of Richard Butler, and Supreme Court judge Peter Underwood was promoted to Chief Justice.
