Crean appointment welcomed

JEWISH school representatives plan to rekindle their relationship with newly appointed Education Minister Simon Crean.

Crean, who Jewish leaders have nicknamed Shimon because of his strong friendship with the community, was appointed Minister for Education, Employment, Workplace Relations and Social Inclusion on Monday by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

His former portfolio of trade was given to current Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.

Nechama Bendet, co-chair of the Australian Council of Jewish Schools, expressed satisfaction with the former Labor leader’s appointment to the important position.

“We warmly congratulate Minister Crean on his appointment as Education Minister and are confident he will continue to support the education of every child in every school and the sector’s capacity to provide Australian families with meaningful choice and diversity in their child’s schooling,” she said.

Bendet explained that when Crean was shadow minister for education in the mid-1990s, Jewish educators had an “extremely good relationship” with him.
He showed “an understanding of the Jewish community, and Israel, for which the community has been most appreciative”.

The co-chair, who is also business manager at Melbourne’s Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah Colleges, said the council would request a meeting with the new minister shortly “to offer any assistance to him”.

The Australian Council of Jewish Schools represents the interests of the country’s Jewish educational institutions to Government. It, and other Jewish representative organisations, had a close working relationship with Gillard, the previous minister, in looking after the specific needs of Jewish schools, including resolving funding anomalies and incorporating Holocaust education into a new national curriculum.

Meanwhile Smith, who has been occupied in recent months with matters pertaining to Israel — evicting an Israeli diplomat over allegations the country had forged Australian passports, acting to try and prevent Israel’s enemy, Iran, from developing nuclear weapons, and responding to the deaths of nine people on a flotilla that challenged Israel’s blockade off Gaza — will have an even fuller plate.

Smith told reporters he was confident he would manage the extra workload.

“The two ministers in the past have been served by one department [of foreign affairs and trade],” he told the ABC. “Now one minister will be served by one department.”

For more coverage, comment and reaction to Gillard’s appointment, purchase of copy of this week’s AJN.

NAOMI LEVIN