Australia has lost it’s Jewish former Governor-General, Sir Zelman Cowen, who passed away a few days ago at the age of 92.
SIR ZELMAN COWEN, the governor-general picked to heal the nation after the bitter divisions following Sir John Kerr’s 1975 dismissal of the Whitlam government, has died aged 92.
Sir Zelman died on the 34th anniversary of his swearing in as governor-general, suffering an illness at his Toorak home. His wife, Anna, was by his side.
One of Australia’s most distinguished constitutional lawyers and academics, Sir Zelman was appointed to the vice-regal post by Malcolm Fraser in 1977. Critics said the role had been politicised by the controversial sacking but he won respect from both sides.
Last night, Mr Fraser said Sir Zelman ”restored Australia’s faith in the office of governor-general”.
”He took over the position at a more difficult time than any other governor-general and served in the role with great distinction,” Mr Fraser said. ”He worked extremely hard to see as much as he could and to talk to as many Australians as possible.”
Mr Fraser said Sir Zelman also made enormous contributions to academia and universities.
Born in Melbourne in 1919, Sir Zelman, who was Jewish, was educated at Scotch College and Melbourne University.
He went to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. He became dean of law at Melbourne University, and later vice-chancellor of the University of New England and then Queensland University.
Despite his weighty career, which included stints at US universities and advising foreign governments on legal matters, he also had a popular touch, appearing on panel programs in the early years of television.
After 4½ years at Yarralumla he became provost of Oriel College Oxford from 1982 to 1990. Back in Australia, he was a member of the board of Fairfax, which publishes the Herald, including a period as chairman. Among his many interests he was patron of the St Kilda Football Club.
In later life he suffered from Parkinson’s disease, which he described as ”a cruel and perverse sort of thing”.
A Jewish community leader, Mark Leibler, said Sir Zelman was ”one Australia’s greatest Jews” and a man whose advice and guidance was sought frequently.
He is survived by his wife and four children – Simon, Nick (Yosef), Kate and Ben – 16 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Sir Zelman was also an ardent Zionist who once said if Israel had been destroyed in the Six Day War, “it would have destroyed me as a person.” His son Yosef lives in Jerusalem.
While not a religiously observant person, he once said:
“I’m proud of my religious heritage. I find it difficult to believe that there is not some original creator. What flows from that I don’t know. I try to live decently, contribute decently, not because of sanctions of heaven or hell, but because that’s the right way.”
Baruch Dayan HaEmet.
