Simon Crean has not spent a single day on the back bench in his 20 year political career. Regardless of political allegiances, one cannot find a more dogged and knowledgeable Federal minister in matters of trade, industry and labour market development.
“We need to find a more effective and creative way, in which those things that we do take for granted, like quality, creativity, innovation, tolerance, inclusion, education, all of those values, are represented and promoted.”
The member for the Federal seat of Hotham in Victoria is part of that political phalanx that guided the extraordinary ALP economic reforms of the 1980s which secured Australia a position in the modern global economy.
Crean entered parliament in 1990 and has served three Labor Prime Ministers – Hawke, Keating and Rudd – as Minister for Trade.
When you go to anyone’s office you will find markers of their history.
In Crean’s Clayton office, there is a small kitsch facade of a the Acropolis, a komboloi and photos, of him with Bob Hawke, of him as a young cricket player and him with his father, Frank Crean, a minister and treasurer in the Whitlam government.
Crean Senior, like Whitlam, enjoyed a revered status with many post-war Greeks.
The son laughs, “I still think that many of the older Greeks in the community were voting for my dad instead of me.”
Crean sees himself as a product of post-war multiculturalism.
“I went to school in inner Melbourne, Middle Park Central.
In those days, when migrants came off the boat, that’s where they settled. The mix in schools in my day was more diverse than you find today; we grew up with Greeks, Italians and others.”
The minister does not merely mouth platitudes about multiculturalism, which he says, “should be bi-partisan” adding, “We sought to drive this not only in government but also in opposition.”
But, Crean has much on his plate now, the re-branding Australia and the dangerous economic impact on Australia’s image of the recent violence against Indian students in Melbourne and Sydney and the ripping off of Indian students by private colleges.
Both the violence and the rip-offs are threatening a multi-billion dollar international education industry.
He, among, other senior federal and state government politicians, including the Prime Minister, have trekked to India, selling the message that the government is doing what it can to curb the violence and that Australia is a “tolerant, culturally diverse and welcoming nation.”
Crean focuses and in measured and clear tones says; “I am one of those that believes unequivocally that multiculturalism has been good for this country. It has been good, economically, socially and culturally.”
For these reasons the recent violence has troubled Simon Crean.
“That welcoming dimension has taken a hit with the recent violence against Indian students,” Crean said. It’s out of keeping with what we’ve tried to nurture and encourage in the community, ” he emphasizes.
He highlights the need to for India and Australia to work together, “It is one thing to say that the bodies that are taking the students are appropriately accredited, equally we must ensure that that applies in India as well.”
He adds, “We need to be sure that we are selling quality education not visas. What we have to do is protect the brand, that it is quality brand, and that requires the cooperation in India.”
The gleam in his eyes sharpens when he talks about the branding of Australia.
“We need a new statement about the fact that when we apply ourselves we punch above our weight and that there is a diversity of Australian goods and services that are of high quality.”
Making $20 million available over four years for a campaign re-branding Australia is an honest admission by Crean about “the limited perspective of what Australians can offer” overseas. “They know about us, but are not aware of the diversity and quality of products and services.”
Crean is looking for a sophisticated departure from the jingoism of the Howard government.
“We need to find a more effective and creative way, in which those things that we do take for granted, like quality, creativity, innovation, tolerance, inclusion, education, all of those values, are represented and promoted.”
The Minister adds, “It’s not just a great place to come and have a holiday it’s a great place to live, to run a business and to raise a family.
It is also a great place that can contribute so much to the rest of the world, in goods and services!”
As the head of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) in the 1980’s Crean played a key role in getting the ACTU to accept some of the most dramatic labour market reforms Australia had seen in the post-war period.
Reform and quick action seem to be a Simon Crean hallmark.
Even in during his short-lived term as leader of the opposition between 2001 and 2003, Crean took action to limit the power of at times venal Labor factions.
The member for Hotham justifies the Prime Minister’s abuse ridden spray directed at back benchers’ complaining about cut backs in their printing allowances by saying , “We had criticised the previous government which kept extending these benefits, that advantaged them because they had more members sitting in sitting seats.”
Crean concludes, “Politics is no forum for shrinking violets” adding, “I’ve always believed that the party should not be run by different cliques.
Nevertheless there should be a channel by which backbench and executive communication takes place, but it is more important to find the common ground.”
He warns that, “It is one thing to try to break down the influence of the faction.
Unless you practice the inclusion principle the factions will revert back.”
In the end as Crean highlights, not unaware of the reality of what makes us all Australian, “The prime minister is red-blooded Australian.”
Simon Crean represents possibly the most finely tuned skills and instincts when it comes to trade and industry in modern Australian politics.