Australia Day 2023 Honours List: Shout-out to South Australia’s brightest and best
An Adelaide-born global advertising industry magnate and a South Aussie iconic retail pioneer are among the state’s Australia Day honorees. See the full list.
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Adelaide-born global advertising industry magnate Bill Muirhead, South Aussie iconic retail pioneer Nick Chapley and retired immunologist Heddy Zola have been named among the state’s most noteworthy citizens this year in the Australia Day honours.
See the full list below.
BILL MUIRHEAD
HE’S Australia’s answer to Mad Men’s Don Draper. Adelaide-born Bill Muirhead spent decades at the top end of the global advertising industry.
Mr Muirhead got his start with Ogilvy and Mather in 1970. He spent 14 years as South Australia’s agent-general in London, talking up everything from Penfolds Grange to Vili’s meat pies.
The humble meat pie has always been close to Mr Muirhead’s heart, and partly inspired his “Famous Porkinson Banger Company”.
“My father was the head of the Australian Meat Board, as it was then called, in Europe,” he said. “He was posted to Londonso I first came here when I was 15 years old.
“The thing I missed about Australia was meat pies … so every time I came back to Australia the first thing I’d do, I’d go to a pie shop in North Adelaide – Perryman’s.
“I’d get straight off the plane and head there, and sometimes I’d be horrified because they’d sold out.’’
Mr Muirhead met photographer Norman Parkinson through his work, and they cooked up the idea for a sausage company in themid-1980s.
Mr Muirhead recently proposed changing South Australia’s bland geographical moniker to simply “Adelaide”, and suggested SA give away a vineyard as part of a reality TV show to promote the state.
Reflecting on his work promoting South Australia, Mr Muirhead said it was a labour of love. “When you are doing somethingyou love for a place you love it doesn’t seem like work,’’ he said.
Mr Muirhead has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to the business sector.
– Cameron England
PETER SANDEMAN
PETER Sandeman spent eight days in prison after he was arrested for joining a peaceful protest against a proposed dam on Tasmania’s Franklin River in the early 1980s. He was among so many arrested “we were transported to jail in tourist buses”, the now 67-year-oldrecalls. The experience taught him much about how to achieve change – and the difficulties faced by some in society. Today Canon Sandeman is recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia for four decades of social justice work withinthe Anglican Church and organisations including Anglicare, Mission Australia, governments and universities. Adopted as a child, the Anglican archdeacon has been an advocate for reform on adoption, child protection and housing. Prof. Sandeman retiredas chief executive of AnglicareSA in late 2020.
– Lauren Novak
HELEN EDWARDS
HELEN Germein Edwards has had two successful careers in different fields.
She trained as a nurse and served on a number of state commissions.
Her life pivoted when she and her husband John saw an old potato farm at the end of an Adelaide Hills lane.
John envisaged a vineyard, and in 1996 Ms Edwards started a second career in wine, hospitality and tourism as The Lane Vineyardcame to life.
Along the way, Ms Edwards has taken prominent roles in the SA Tourism Commission, the Adelaide Hills Tourism Board, theAdelaide Hills Wine Region Association, the Bay to Birdwood Advisory Committee, National Wine Centre, the Wine Tourism Awardsand the SA Regional Visitor Strategy.
For variety, she also has been a member of the Australian Press Council and Guardianship Board of SA, and governor of St Peter’sCollege.
Growing up in Berri, she recalls her parents Reg and Celia Germein instilling into her, and her brothers, the importanceof contributing to the community.
“I’m very happy to be thanked but there is no need to be rewarded,” she said of being awarded an AM for significant servicesto tourism.
“John was the entrepreneur and visionary but needed a manager so I left the health sector to come into the family businessand it has been an amazing experience.”
Ms Edwards left The Lane in 2016 but remains devoted to regional tourism.
“It has been a challenge leading the strategy through bushfires, the pandemic and now floods but we have fantastic tourismindustry out in the regions, building a sustainable future, and I am optimistic about it,” she said.
– Brad Crouch
JACK McLEAN
EMERITUS Professor Jack McLean, 87, came across his chosen profession as an aimless engineering graduate.
“I did what you do when you aren’t sure what you want to do, and I drove from India to London,” he said. “I would read TheAdvertiser at South Australia House.
“I saw a small ad in which a forensic doctor wanted someone to attend road crashes and study them and knew that was for me.”
The year was 1962 and now the Centre for Automotive Safety Research he founded at Adelaide University is a world leader in the field. Jack’s AO is for “distinguished service to road safety research, particularly to the causes and prevention of motor vehicle accidents”.
– Miles Kemp
DR ANNE LOUISE TONKIN
DR Anne Louise Tonkin’s distinguished service to medical professional regulation, tertiary education and clinical pharmacology has been recognised with a AO.
A physician specialising in clinical pharmacology, Dr Tonkin has worked in drug regulation at a national level in a careerwhich has kept patients safe.
Dr Tonkin is chair of the Medical Board of Australia and a long list of former senior positions reflects her commitment tosafeguarding health care.
Her late father, former premier David Tonkin, was also awarded an AO and she said he was an inspirational role model, whilethanking her mother Prue and partner Katrina Allen as great supporters.
“I would say to young people the most important thing is to grab every opportunity and do whatever it is with energy and enthusiasm — more doors will open,” Dr Tonkin said.
“Particularly for young women, don’t say no because you think you are not up to it, because with energy and enthusiasm you will be up to it.”
– Brad Crouch
HEDDY ZOLA
RETIRED immunologist Heddy Zola has had many professional accolades through his long career, but says there is something special about receiving an Order of Australia.
“This award suggests that what I’ve done over the years has been recognised as being not only good for immunology and for the science but good for the community and I like that feeling,’’ the 81-year-old professor said.
Prof Zola moved to Adelaide in 1978 from London and has been at the forefront of research into immunity and developing technology for monoclonal antibodies which can be used to treat many diseases, including cancer.
His books on the topics have become standards globally.
The professor was keen to point out there was a large element of team work, with lots of young people “beavering away in thelab’’ to produce the results.
“It was all extremely enjoyable,’’ he said.
– Michael McGuire
NICHOLAS CHAPLEY
WITH humble beginnings as a Greek post-war immigrant firm in his memory, retail pioneer Nick Chapley has matched his passion for business with supporting the community around him.
Known as “Mr Nick”, the 88-year-old has spent 70 years developing world-leading gourmet supermarkets.
He has supported the Ikarian Association, food rescue organisation SecondBite and the Sturt Football Club, and in 2006 joinedforces with son Spero to establish Youth Inc, a school for young people who seek an alternative to conventional education.
Mr Chapley has been awarded an OAM. “If success is not shared then it’s not worth having,” he said.
– Guiseppe Tauriello
ALEXANDRA VAKITSIDIS
SINCE moving to Australia, from Greece in 1968 at the age of 17, Alexandra Vakitsidis has been heavily involved in the localGreek community.
The 72-year-old said she has spent 55 years doing all she could for fellow immigrants.
“Everywhere they needed me, I was there,” she said.
Ms Vakitsidis said she struggled with speaking English when she first arrived in Adelaide which was the driving force behindgetting involved in both the Greek and wider community.
“Since then, I was in the Greek community to look after the old people … and people who didn’t speak any English,” she said.
Now living in Alberton, the dedicated volunteer has been awarded an OAM for her service to the Greek community.
The grandmother of five started as a volunteer at the Semaphore Greek Cultural Festival in 1979 and has since been involved in many other community events and organisations.
Ms Vakitsidis is also an ambassador at the Hospital Research Foundation, which she regularly raises funds for.
“I want to say thank you to the people who support me,” Ms Vakitsidis said.
– Eva Blandis
EILEEN FERGUSON
EILEEN Ferguson fell in love with croquet in 1980 when she got involved after hearing her local club was in danger of closing.
Almost 43 years later the Salisbury Croquet Club is still thriving with Ms Ferguson as president.
“I think we’ve done remarkably well,” she said.
The Salisbury North resident, 74, was also president of South Australian Croquet Association from 2014 to 2020 and has beenmember of the association board since 2002. Ms Ferguson, awarded an OAM for her service to croquet, said she loved the sportwas for being “mentally stimulating” and likened it to chess.
“You can play croquet all over the state, so I’ve been to just about every club in South Australia,” she said.
Ms Ferguson referred to croquet as “sport’s best kept secret” and said she continues to work toward spreading the word andgetting more people involved.
– Eva Blandis
JOYLEEN O’HAZY
DR Joyleen O’Hazy has been awarded an OAM for her service to the community and to medicine.
Dr O’Hazy, 65, is involved in the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia, an organisation that provides birthing kits and educationin clean birthing practices to women in remote regions of the developing world.
She said so far about 2.6 million birthing kits have been provided to women.
“To have someone think that you’ve made a contribution worthy of their time and effort to put you forward, I thought that was lovely,” Dr O’Hazy said.
Dr O’Hazy has worked in women’s health for 20 years.
She is deputy chair and inaugural director of the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia and is co-founder of the Zonta BirthingKit Project.
“The highlight is being able to make a difference for a lot of women in their lives, that’s what I’ve been wanting to do andI’ve been able to do that,” she said.
“I get the biggest kicks myself out of having someone say I feel better … whatever the issues were I’ve had enough knowledgeprovided in my training and experience that I can actually resolve people’s problems and make their lives better.”
She has had numerous roles in various women’s health and medicine clinics across SA as well as being mayor of the City ofMitcham from 1995 to 1997.
– Kitty Barr
ALETHIA QUICK
WHEN Alethia Quick found out she was going to be awarded an OAM, she said her “hands were shaking”.
“My mouth wasn’t working, my hands were shaking,” Ms Quick said. “To be awarded a nomination of an OAM for what you enjoys wonderful.”
Ms Quick, 78, is being awarded for her service to floral art organisations and to the community.
For 30 years she has served in various roles on the Floral Design Council of South Australia and other floral art clubs.
Ms Quick has been editor, writer and photographer for the Floral Designer magazine since 2012, and a contributor to the RoyalAdelaide Show, winning many awards.
“My greatest passion is demonstrating and teaching others so they can continue on educating other people; I’m not going to be around forever,” she said.
Ms Quick first got interested in floral art in 1989 and has since dedicated her life to the craft, and teaching others.
“I’d found what I wanted to do and enjoy,” she said.
– Kitty Barr
MARY PATETSOS
AN experienced board director, Mary Patetsos is honoured with a Member of Order of Australia for her “significant service to multicultural affairs”.
She is chairwoman of South Australian aged care provider ACH Group and honourable president (immediate past chairwoman) of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA), a peak body representing people from diverse backgrounds.
– Paul Starick
RUSSELL DUNCAN
LIFELONG volunteer Russell Duncan lives to give his time to help those in need.
“That’s why I was put on the earth as far as I’m concerned,” Mr Duncan said.
“I’m one of those people who can’t sit at home because I’d rather be out helping people.”
Mr Duncan, 68, is not picky about who he helps as he has spent time with organisations such as Mary Potter Foundation, Royal Flighting Doctor Service and a host of local sporting clubs.
Mr Duncan was shocked when he heard he would be receiving an OAM. He was talked into accepting the honour to acknowledge everyone who has joined him on his journey.
– Shashi Baltutis
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