Federal MP Julian Leeser has told the Australian parliament today the remarkable story of Isaac Wakil AO.
The full text of Julian Leeser’s address:
I want to acknowledge the passing of a great Australian, Isaac Wakil AO, aged 104.
Isaac’s story is the great Australian story: a person born overseas, fleeing persecution, making his fortune and giving back in spades to the country he loved.
Isaac Wakil was born in Baghdad in 1922. He was a survivor of the 1941 Farhud pogroms against Iraqi Jews.
He came to Australia in 1949 and became a successful entrepreneur in the clothing industry.
It was while working in fashion that he met his beloved wife, Susan, whom he married in 1953. He was besotted and absolutely devoted to her. They were married for 65 years until Susan’s death in 2018. And after her death, her life became the inspiration for his good works and the opportunities he created for others.
In business, they were extremely successful.
Susan and Isaac worked hard, invested wisely in property, and became lifelong supporters of the arts, especially Opera Australia and the Art Gallery of NSW.
In the 1970s and 1980s, they were one of Sydney’s glamour couples.
I first met Isaac and Susan in 2017. They had taken an interest in my political career. They were generous hosts and bon vivants. It was 10am on one day when Isaac said, “Julian, you have come over, we must have champagne.”
As Susan’s health declined, they retreated from society.
A decade ago, they began liquidating their property holdings and established one of the most significant charitable foundations in Australia’s history.
Through the Susan and Isaac Wakil Foundation, they touched tens of thousands of lives — supporting patients, students, artists, Aboriginal people and young people experiencing opera for the first time.
When I sat on the Council of the National Library, I approached Isaac about supporting the digitisation of performing arts material, including Opera Australia productions, which the Wakils had supported. They gave $1 million to make these materials accessible to all Australians.
They made a $24 million gift to the Art Gallery of NSW — the largest monetary gift in the Gallery’s history.
They gave $35 million to the University of Sydney to establish a purpose-built health sciences facility. That building now bears Susan’s name. As Isaac said when the gift was announced: “Australia is a great country. It’s a good feeling to give something back.”
As a proud member of the Jewish community, Isaac was very disappointed by the antisemitism that was allowed to run rife at Sydney University, and made his feelings well known to Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott, urging him to take stronger action.
Susan and Isaac also supported the incredible work of the Sydney Jewish Museum’s education programs and the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies.
Isaac was also a great supporter of the Liberal Party, and especially supported and admired the leadership of Scott Morrison.
Susan and Isaac were both appointed Officers of the Order of Australia in 2017.
This is a sad time for the Wakil, Khedoorie and Lipmann families.
It was my privilege to know a wonderful, wise, generous, kind man who took an interest in the lives of others. A Jewish Australian patriot who wanted to create opportunities for others, and whose generosity was inspired by his abiding love for his wife.”
Isaac Wakil made substantial donations to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Rob Schneider, the CEO of the Australian Friends of the Hebrew University, told J-Wire: “Earlier in June, I had given Isaac and his carer Hebrew University caps. Who would have foreseen then that this would be the last time I would see Isaac – a man whose friendship and generosity I have cherished for twelve years.
Isaac and Susan’s immense generosity to myriad causes included a very substantial donation to the Hebrew University’s new Centre for Computational Medicine.
He was a staunch protagonist for Israel and the Jewish People, and years ago was already concerned as to how to assist and support Jewish students on Australian university campuses.
The legacy of Isaac and Susan will live on through the projects they funded – groundbreaking projects that will benefit society for many years to come. We will not see the likes of Isaac and Susan again, and they are sorely missed. May they rest in peace.
The University of Sydney
Their deep admiration for nurses led to their first gift to the University, which established 12 nursing scholarships in perpetuity – scholarships which have supported dozens of students to date.
“Isaac held a deep belief in the people at the heart of healthcare,” reflected Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Mark Scott.
“His commitment to medicine, health and – so importantly – nursing, has shaped a profession that is fundamental to every patient and family’s experience at such a vulnerable time in their lives.
“Thousands of our health students have already benefitted from his generosity, and his legacy lives on in each scholarship recipient, as they graduate and go on to care for others with skill and compassion.”
Isaac and Susan made a transformational $35 million gift to establish the Susan Wakil Health Building (SWHB) – at the time, the largest donation in the University’s history.
The SWHB, which brought together nursing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and allied health disciplines, was later joined by the Isaac Wakil Biomedical Building – part of the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator – following a further $20 million investment.
Former Chancellor, Belinda Hutchinson, remarked. “Susan and Isaac have left an extraordinary legacy on our community. The University of Sydney offers its sincere condolences to Isaac’s family, friends, and the many who have been touched by his generosity.
Opera Australia
For more than four decades, Susan and Isaac Wakil were cherished members of the Opera Australia family — as loyal subscribers, generous patrons, and passionate advocates for the power of opera to bring people together. Their connection with Opera Australia spanned more than half of our 70-year history, leaving an enduring mark on our company and community.
Through their generosity, Susan and Isaac sought to make the arts more accessible to everyone. In 2015, they pioneered The Susan and Isaac Wakil Foundation Access Program, helping people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience opera attend Opera Australia performances at the Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne through subsidised tickets.
When the program was established, Isaac shared words that continue to reflect the warmth and generosity at the heart of their support: “Susan and I have experienced the joy of opera and have had countless memorable evenings at the Sydney Opera House. We were therefore delighted when Opera Australia approached us to support a new access program which will make it easier for people to experience a night at the opera for the first time.”
Isaac Wakil Born: Baghdad, 1922 Died: Sydney, 2026