Noosa resident Joan Cordell has used her platform while receiving the award of Member of the Order of Australia (AM) to urge for an Australia Day date change.
Joan, who was inducted into the Australian Property Hall of Fame in 2023, is set to be honoured in the General Division for significant service to business, and to the community.
Today, she is an artist in Noosa, but in the early 1970s, Joan founded what became known as ‘The Builder’s Bible’; Cordell Building and Construction Information.
“It is wonderful to receive an accolade today, half a century on – which acknowledges what Cordell (and I mean the whole thriving, pulsating, happily driven team of enthusiasts) accomplished at that time. And how subsequent adaptations of our information system are still invaluable to an even more complex building industry today,“ she said.
“As a statistician, my initial quest in 1969 was to devise and expand an information system that could service an entire industry in multiple ways – and Cordell’s initial research, pre-computer, centred on the Australian Building and Construction Industry.“
Computerisation occurred in the 1980’s; and ownership of Cordell changed several times over the years.
However, the name was embedded in the industry; Cordell became known as ‘The Builder’s Bible’ and the ethos of the original vision was strongly preserved.
Recently, the company was acquired by CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX), and today Cordell product is a key player within the property information, analytics and services they offer to clients in seven countries.
“My deeply appreciative memories go to a whole host of people, sadly few of whom are still with us, but without whose creative industry and loyal support, the story would be quite different, and perhaps even in another language,“ Joan said.
When it comes to her service to the community, supporting the cultural life of her surrounding area has always been of prime importance for Joan, particularly when living in Nova Scotia, Canada and in the south island of New Zealand during the later eighties and nineties.
“Since 2009, I have had an intense interest in Noosa Botanic Gardens, initially when I took on the task of managing the philanthropic development of the Noosa Stone Sculpture Bequest, and subsequently in the revitalisation of the Friends of the Gardens (FNBG) of which I was Chair 2011-2014,“ she said.
With all that she has achieved throughout her life, Joan’s immediate thought is for the future.
“Perhaps, the honour I so welcome receiving, allows me a platform, even if momentary, to propose a change of importance for Australian Citizens,“ she said.
“In 1967, more than 90 per cent of voters supported the constitutional changes the then Referendum proposed – to include Indigenous Australians within population counts. By 1984, Australian Electoral changes improved their possibilities of demonstrating their interest in their citizenship rights and responsibilities.
“But how can they celebrate being Australian – surely not on an Australia Day tied to an offensive date in their history.
“I dare to contend we could be truly innovative and publicly request that the Australian Parliament change the date of Australia Day to 10 August – a date of which we can all be proud.
“The amendments to the Constitution were overwhelmingly endorsed in 1967, winning 90.77 per cent of votes cast and having majority support in all six states. The Bill became an Act of Parliament on 10 August 1967.“
