Joel, Sir Asher, 1912 – 1998

Sir Asher Alexander Joel (1912-1998), public relations and advertising executive and parliamentarian, was born at Stanmore the son of Harry and Phoebe Joel. He was educated at Enmore Public School and Cleveland St High School. Asher Joel left school at the age of fourteen and began his early career as a journalist by working as a copy boy and messenger for The Daily Telegraph (1927-1931) and a cadet and junior reporter for the Labor Daily (1931-1937).

In 1938 he was a publicity officer with the NSW government involved with Australia's celebration of the Coronation and also of Australia's 150th Anniversary celebrations. Joel joined the AIF in June 1942 and transferred to the RAN in November of the same year. He served overseas with the RAN and was posted to the staff of General Douglas MacArthur as a public relations officer (1944-1945).

After the war Joel established a public relations business. He was elected an Independent member of the NSW Legislative Council in 1958. He joined the Country Party in 1959 and remained a MLC until his retirement from politics in 1978.

Joel was responsible for planning many large public events on behalf of the government, including royal tours, papal visits, the Bi-Centenary Celebrations (1970) and the opening ceremony of the Sydney Opera House (1973). Joel's book, Australian protocol and procedures, was published in 1982. Joel was awarded an Order of the British Empire in 1956, a Knight Bachelor in 1971 and a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1974.