David Davis MP

SIR ZELMAN COWEN: A LIFE OF EXCELLENCE, SERVICE AND JEWISH PRIDE Born in Melbourne in 1919, he became dux of Scotch College, graduated as the University of Melbourne’s top law student & won a Rhodes Scholarship He deferred Oxford to serve Australia in the Royal Australian Navy during the Second World War. He was stationed in Darwin when Japanese forces attacked in 1942 After the war, he took up his Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford, winning the prestigious Vinerian Scholarship for his achievement in civil law What followed was a remarkable career devoted to education, law & public service As Professor of Public Law and Dean of Law at the University of Melbourne, & later Vice-Chancellor of the universities of New England & Queensland, he helped shape Australian higher education He also brought important ideas to a wider audience. His 1969 Boyer Lectures explored the erosion of privacy, anticipating questions that have become central to our digital lives. He subsequently contributed to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s work In 1977, Cowen became Australia’s Governor-General, succeeding Sir John Kerr in the aftermath of the divisive 1975 constitutional crisis He described his purpose as bringing “a touch of healing” Over the next five years, his dignity, warmth & careful stewardship helped rebuild public confidence in the office. He demonstrated how leadership can bring people together through patience, respect & a commitment to serving the whole community Throughout his life, Cowen remained a proud Jew & a staunch Zionist, supporting Israeli educational, scientific & cultural institutions Reflecting on the prospect of Israel’s destruction during the Six-Day War, he said: “it would have destroyed me as a person.” Those words reveal how deeply this distinguished Australian statesman identified with Israel’s survival & the fate of the Jewish people His devotion to Australia & his Jewish identity strengthened a life of extraordinary service Sir Zelman Cowen served Australia at the highest level while holding Israel & the Jewish people close to his heart A proud Australian. A proud Jew. A committed Zionist A life worth learning about & an example worth following #AustralianHistory #Leadership #PublicService #JewishAustralian

JACINTA’S MESSAGE FOR BEN: PETROL DRIVE-OFFS MUST BE PROSECUTED This week, Premier Ben Carroll drove off from a petrol station without paying. Victoria Police subsequently came knocking. Jacinta Allan previously declared that petrol drive-offs are illegal & “need to be prosecuted” Does that standard apply to the Premier too ?