Dessau feted at MHC
SENIOR politicians, members of the judiciary and communal leaders gathered at Melbourne Hebrew Congregation (MHC) on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the appointment of former judge of the Family Court Linda Dessau as Governor of Victoria.
SENIOR politicians, members of the judiciary and communal leaders gathered at Melbourne Hebrew Congregation (MHC) on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the appointment of former judge of the Family Court Linda Dessau as Governor of Victoria.
Dessau, whose family have been members of the MHC congregation for three generations, spoke to the crowd of 300 about her formative years, her unwavering pursuit of social cohesion and her passion for Australian Rules Football.
Reflecting on her new role, she reminded the audience that while she is the first female governor and the first Jewish governor of Victoria, her fundamental concern is for “social cohesion, harmony and diversity”.
She shared personal anecdotes that helped shape her vision for a more inclusive Victoria, including bouts of anti-Semitism in her mostly “golden” childhood.
“Our parents were very broadminded, they and we had friends from many quarters. I don’t remember lectures on diversity; respect was for all, no matter their race or religion. It was against this backdrop that two very small experiences left a big impression on me,” Dessau said.
One story involved a principal phoning home when Dessau was in primary school to express his disappointment at the “foreign food” in her lunch box.
“The other incident occurred when I was 13, I was the only girl in my class not invited to a particular party … When I asked the birthday girl why, she replied, ‘that’s because my mum said she won’t have Jews in the house.’
“It was a seminal moment for me, such blatant bigotry of any sort, it just hadn’t been part of the language and landscape at home.”
Noting how her four-decade legal career has helped shaped her beliefs, she said of her 18 years as a Family Court judge, “I saw perhaps some of the worst aspects of human behaviour. But I learnt something very important in that court, I learnt about resilience. I learnt how much a sense of belonging is what counted, how a sense of social inclusion could heal.”
Addressing the guests, Mount Scopus Memorial College principal Rabbi James Kennard spoke for the community in congratulating Dessau. “It is with great pride and great celebration that a member of our community … now takes her place at the apex of our system of government,” Rabi Kennard said.
Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Asia Engagement Hong Lim and shadow minister for multicultural affairs Inga Peulich also addressed the crowd, which included Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and fellow federal MPs Mark Dreyfus and Michael Danby.
ZOE KRON
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