State memorial service for Barry Cohen
January 22, 2018 by J-Wire Newsdesk
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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition leader Bill Shorten will speak at a State Memorial for former Labor minister Barry Cohen.
Barry Cohen – The Minister
Chabad ACT Chairman, Rabbi Shmueli Feldman will officiate at the event which will include Jewish traditional songs and prayers. As a result, the organising committee will hold reserved VIP seating for members and friends of the Jewish community.
The service will be held on February 5 in the Members’ Dining Room in the Old Parliament House in Canberra.
Barry Cohen held three ministerial posts between 1984 and 1987. He was Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Bicentennial from 1984 – 1987, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Environment from 1984 – 1987 and Minister for Home Affairs and Environment from 1983 – 1984.
He represented the Federal Seat of Robertson in the House of Representatives from 1969 – 1990.
Barry Cohen was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2007 for service to the Australian Parliament and to the community through a range of cultural and environmental roles and contributions to public discussion and debate.
Family, friends, representatives of organisations and members of the public are welcome to attend the State Memorial. There will be reserved seating for those on the Commonwealth Table of Precedence, the immediate family and close family friends.
All other seating will be in order of arrival until the venue reaches capacity.
Doors will open at 10.00 am. All guests are kindly requested to be seated by 10.30 am.
Rabbi Feldman said: “Barry Cohen was a truly great Australian and a proud Jew.”
