Twenty years after Australia illegally invaded Iraq, Simon Crean who was then Opposition leader, has died.
For decades a critic of how Australia goes to war, Mr Crean promised Parliament on 20 March 2003 that as prime minister he would never allow Australian policy to be determined by another country, never commit to an unnecessary war while peace was possible, and never send Australians to war without telling them the truth.
Although Mr Crean served as a minister under the Hawke, Keating, Rudd, and Gillard ALP governments, his principled stand against illegal expeditionary wars, and his resistance to allies determining Australian policy is not upheld by the major parties today.
They have not responded to the opportunity of a recent Parliamentary inquiry to change the way Australia goes to war.
AWPR is grateful for the support and encouragement we received from Mr Crean ever since the days of our Campaign for an Iraq War Inquiry.
We hope that in recalling his example, more Australians will press their elected representatives to follow it.
Dr Alison Broinowski AM
See also: In 2003 Simon Crean opposed the Iraq war
