Pauline Gandel: Always willing to aid others

Pauline Gandel reacted with surprise when made a Companion in the Order of Australia for her service to the community.

Philanthropist and art collector Pauline Gandel. Picture: David Caird.

Pauline Gandel reacted with surprise when made a Companion in the Order of Australia for her eminent service to the community for humanitarian, philanthropic and fundraising endeavours, as well as to social inclusion and to Australia-Japan relations.

Gandel called the award “a wonderful surprise”, saying the award was “an honour but also a responsibility to continue with my philanthropic work, to continue helping people in need and strengthening our society”.

The award adds to accolades from federal, state and international governments and recog­nises Gandel’s status as a fixture of Melbourne’s charity landscape since she co-founded Gandel Philanthropy in 1978 with her husband, retail and shopping centre tycoon John Gandel.

She gives across a wide range of fields and is hopeful that she will lead others to follow in this path. “My family is everything to me. I hope they will find inspiration in this too and follow in the footsteps of my husband and me, growing and expanding our philanthropy,” Gandel says.

“In my life, I devoted myself to two things, my family and community work. That community ­involvement started more than 40 years ago, and I am committed to continuing for as long as I can, together with my husband John.”

Gandel acknowledged the people and organisations in the field. “They are the true heroes, they are the people that get up every day and work their hearts out trying to help those in need.”

She is known for her support of health causes and co-founded the Gandel Philanthropy Balance Disorder Diagnostics Unit at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. Gandel also serves as patron of Emmy Monash Aged Care and has supported the Royal Women’s Hospital since 1990s, and more ­recently to Cabrini Health.

She has also committed to education including as co-founder of the Gandel Holocaust Studies Program for Australian Educators, and to cultural endeavours as a founding contributor of the Koorie Heritage Trust and as president emeritus of the Urasenke Tea Society in Victoria.