By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Former Hotham MP Simon Crean’s service to the South East was the “stuff of legend”, according to one of many local and national tributes.
Mr Crean – a former Federal Labor leader, ACTU leader as well as Cabinet minister under four Prime Ministers – died suddenly on 25 June.
The 74-year-old was part of a work delegation in Berlin, Germany at the time.
He served as Hotham’s MP for 23 years until he retired and was succeeded by current Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil in 2013.
In a statement, Ms O’Neil described Mr Crean’s death as “unbelievably sad news”.
“Simon was a giant of the Labor Party and the labour movement.
“He was a Labor icon; integral to Australian politics and industrial relations for more than 40 years.
“And he was my mentor, and friend.”
Ms O’Neil said his “extraordinary” length of service spanned eight terms as Hotham MP – an egalitarian reformer who made Australia a better, fairer country.
“He was the only person to be a part of Cabinets during the Hawke, Keating, Rudd and Gillard Governments.
“His service to my community, in South East Melbourne, is the stuff of legend. Simon served the people of Hotham for 23 years.
“My community, where he is still worshipped as a hero, owes him a great deal.”
Ms O’Neil said he supported Labor women and “backed me every moment of my life in the Labor Party”.
Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams said Mr Crean was a “giant of the labour movement” and “a part of our fabric”.
Recently, he was active in the Greater South East Melbourne (GSEM) group to advocate for infrastructure and job creation in the South East, she said.
She recalled him as “intelligent” and “thoughtful” while addressing a student gathering during her early years of political activism at Monash University.
Premier and Mulgrave MP Daniel Andrews paid tribute to Mr Crean opposing Australia’s involvement in war in Iraq as Opposition Leader 20 years ago.
“Twenty years ago Simon Crean did what seemed to be the impossible.
“In opposing the war in Iraq he stood up for peace, and our national interest.
“It wasn’t easy and it certainly wasn’t popular – but it was the right thing to do.
“It was leadership.”
Former Keysborough MP Martin Pakula had unsuccessfully tried to depose Mr Crean in a Hotham pre-selection in 2006. Later Mr Pakula admitted that he’d underestimated the overwhelming rank and file support for Mr Crean.
In tribute on 25 June, Mr Pakula said “I was silly enough to fight him once. He taught me a lesson.
“But our love for the (National Union of Workers) and what it meant to the Labor Party transcended that fight and we mended things. Respect.”
Prime Ministers from both the Labor and Liberal parties paid glowing tribute.
Among them, current PM Anthony Albanese said Mr Crean’s achievements as a Minister ranged from “trade to employment, from primary industries and energy to the arts”.
“The common threads running through his long career were his courage and his principled action, qualities that came so powerfully to the fore when he opposed the Iraq War.
“Yet his opposition to the war was backed by his unwavering respect for the members of the Australian Defence Force, a respect he showed when he went to address the troops ahead of their deployment.
“History has vindicated Simon’s judgment, but at the time his stance was deeply counter to the prevailing political and media climate.”
Post-politics, Mr Crean was active in an array of roles, including as chair of the European Australian Business Council, a Linfox director and on the advisory boards of GSEM and Orygen.
His father Frank Crean was a former Treasurer in the Whitlam Government.
GSEM chair Simon McKeon said Mr Crean was “admired by so many, and especially on all sides of politics”.
“There was hardly a door that couldn’t be opened by Simon.
“He was warm, approachable and very articulate. For him there was a direct line linking policy to peoples’ lives.
“His work at GSEM continued his life-long commitment to ensuring people had access to skills so they could enjoy well-paid and secure jobs.”
Mr Crean’s “devastated” family stated that their husband and father died suddenly after his morning exercise.
“Simon was a fierce advocate for working Australians and dedicated his life to making a difference.
“Though his greatest achievements were as father to Sarah and Emma and loving husband to Carole. They were married for over 50 years.”
