Bladel worked as a cleaner and barmaid to support them, then gained mature-age entry to the University of Tasmania where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours and a Teacher Training Certificate.
[2] Inspired by the Vietnam War to get involved in politics, Bladel joined the Australian Labor Party, and in 1978, co-authored a study which surveyed the electoral consequences of the limited number of female Labor MPs in Australian parliaments.
On 13 November 1989, Consumer Affairs was added to the Administrative Services portfolio, and on 8 February 1991 she was also made Minister for Construction.
Bladel remained a member of the House of Assembly, and returned to the ministry when Labor regained office in 1998 as Secretary to Cabinet.
[6] In 2006 Bladel was inducted to the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women for service to Government, Education and the Community.