Simon was born in Melbourne and educated at Melbourne High School and Monash University where he obtained degrees in economics and law. In 1985, he was elected President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) having been ACTU Junior Vice-President (1981-83) and ACTU Senior Vice-President (1983-85). He was a member of the governing body of the International Labor Organisation, the Economic Planning and Advisory Council, the Board of Qantas, the Board of the AIDC and the Transport Industry Advisory Council.
Following his election to Federal Parliament in 1990, Simon was appointed Minister for Science and Technology. He was also Minister Assisting the Treasurer with responsibility for the Prices Surveillance Authority, the Foreign Investment Review Board and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. From June 1991 until December 1993, Simon was Minister for Primary Industries and Energy. He was then appointed Minister for Employment, Education and Training.
From March 1996, he was Shadow Minister for Industry and Regional Development and Manager of Opposition Business and in October 1998, he was elected Deputy Opposition Leader and appointed Shadow Treasurer.
Following the 2001 federal election, Simon was elected unopposed as Leader of the Opposition on 22 November 2001. He resigned as leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party on 2 December 2003.
Upon the election of the Labor Government in 2007, Simon Crean was appointed Minister for Trade.
Simon was appointed Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and Social Inclusion in June 2010.
In September 2010, Simon was appointed Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, and Minister for the Arts in the Gillard Government.
Electorate Profile
Hotham
State:
VIC
Name Derivation:
Named after Sir Charles Hotham 1806-55, Governor of Victoria 1854-55.
Area and Location Description:
Hotham covers an area of approximately 72 sq km from Oakleigh in the north to Dingley Village in the south. The main suburbs include Bentleigh East, Dingley Village, Moorabbin, and parts of Carnegie, Clayton, Clayton South, Cheltenham, Murrumbeena, Noble Park, Oakleigh, Oakleigh South, Springvale and Springvale South.
Products/Industries of the Area:
Light industry and commercial activity including light engineering and warehousing.
First Proclaimed/Election:
1968/1969
Demographic Rating:
Outer Metropolitan
Members:
- Crean, S (ALP) 1990-
- Kent, L (ALP) 1980-1990
- Johnston, J R (LP) 1977-1980
- Chipp, D (LP/IND/DEM) 1969-1977