We are delighted to announce that the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has recently confirmed the appointment of the Honourable Greg Crafter AO as the Chair of the National Catholic Education Commission. Mr Crafter will take up this responsibility from 1 July this year.

Mr Crafter was Minister of Education in South Australia from 1985 to 1992. Since that time he has retained an active interest in school education at international and national level. He was President of the Geneva-based International Baccalaureate Organisation (1997-2003) and has been a member of the National Catholic Education Commission since 2009.
Within South Australia, Mr Crafter has continued his involvement in education. He was the chair of the recent review of the former Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia. Mr Crafter’s long association with the University of Adelaide has been recognised by their granting him an honorary doctorate.

Mr Crafter’s many areas of interest and expertise include mediation, government relations, local government, administrative law, industrial relations and indigenous law and the work of school councils. As a former state Minister of Housing, he continues as a board member of the SA Housing Trust, and he is now also a National Director of Little Company of Mary Health Care.

Mr Crafter is widely recognised for his contribution to the Catholic Church. He has been a fulltime worker for the Young Christian Workers movement. He is active in his local parish and chairs the Archdiocese of Adelaide Finance Council and the Clergy Welfare Board. He is a member of the Order of Malta. He has recently been appointed to the national Catholic Truth Justice and Healing Council.

I know you will join with me in congratulating Mr Crafter on his appointment. His wisdom, faith commitment and expertise will be invaluable to the ongoing work of the National Catholic Education Commission as it begins its new term under his stewardship.

Bishop Greg O’Kelly,
Bishops Commission for Education