The Greater South East Melbourne (GSEM) Chair Simon McKeon has paid tribute to Simon Crean’s long-standing contribution to South East Melbourne as an independent Director.
Mr McKeon said:
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.
He was genuinely respectful of others, was passionate about skills and had clear guiding principles – about workplace issues, respect and how to treat others – that he developed as a very young person. We now know that these principles guided him throughout his life.
Simon’s service to the community didn’t end when he left Parliament.
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.
He was a fierce advocate for structural reform, always pushing to improve the governance and mechanisms that under-pin state and federal government jobs and skills policy.
No matter the task, when help was needed, Simon was always the first to do what he could to assist.
Simon was deeply engaged across many policy areas that included the arts, indigenous communities, infrastructure, higher education and renewable energy – always believing we could do more and better.
Simon will be sorely missed by the Greater South East Melbourne community where he served across multiple roles since he was first elected as the Member for Hotham in 1990.
Our deepest condolences to Simon’s wife Carole, his daughters Sarah and Emma and their families.
Simon McKeon
Chair, GSEM
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