Federal judge named next Tas governor

Ms Baker will take over from Governor Kate Warner, whose term ends in June after it was extended while the state responded to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Baker has worked as a practitioner for more than 23 years, specialising in family law and relationship matters after graduating from the University of Tasmania in 1980 with a law/arts degree.

"Through my role (as governor) I hope to raise awareness of the devastating impact of family violence," she told reporters on Thursday.

"Having regard to my work as a judge, the majority of my parenting cases involved family violence.

"It is very important to raise awareness, so that victims of family violence can understand and identify what family violence is and so that the community can call out perpetrators."

Ms Baker became the first female partner of law firm Murdoch Clarke in 1993, and was the first Tasmanian woman to be appointed as a federal magistrate in 2008.

She was one of the first lawyers to join the Tasmanian Bar practising exclusively in family law.

Premier Peter Gutwein said Ms Baker, who will be the state's 29th governor, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role.

"She has been a significant leader for women in Tasmania," he said.

Professor Warner, 72, has been governor since 2014 and continued in the job after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in early 2019.

"I also thank Her Excellency for continuing beyond her initial term to provide stability for the state as we responded to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic," Mr Gutwein said.

Ms Baker, who is married to Emeritus Professor Don Chalmers AO, retired as a judge in January.

She has represented Tasmania at under-18 level in tennis and hockey and has been part of national indoor and outdoor hockey squads.

Ms Baker has also been crowned national singles champion in 'real tennis', the racquet sport from which the modern game of tennis evolved.

Australian Associated Press