On reflection, Simon Crean was probably the first domino to fall in a certain madness that seized Labor during the Howard era and presaged a decade of turmoil that only settled down under Bill Shorten’s leadership (2013-19).
Crean, who died suddenly over the weekend while travelling in Europe, was known for his hard work, moral clarity and even temperament.
He had been one of very few people to go straight into the cabinet upon his election in 1990 and he was regarded as a skilled practitioner.
