Our Benefactor
Paul Ramsay AO (1936-2014) was a leading Australian businessman and philanthropist, whose extraordinary generosity and vision led to the creation of our Centre.
He founded Ramsay Health Care with a single hospital in 1964. It is now Australia’s largest private hospital entity, and one of the world’s largest private hospital operators.
Paul was also a regional television pioneer, building stations that today form the Prime Television Network.
Throughout his life Paul was known as a ‘man for others’ and gave generously to a range of educational, cultural, artistic and sporting organisations. He was deeply grateful for the opportunities his country had afforded him and often reflected on the influences that had shaped Australia.
He saw our nation as one of many that had benefited from being part of the long continuum of Western civilisation. In particular, he wanted younger Australians to appreciate and value this heritage.
So, he resolved to establish a centre dedicated to the study of Western civilisation and asked former Prime Minister the Hon John Howard OM AC to become its chairman.
The Centre is funded by the Paul Ramsay Foundation which Paul established in 2006.
Paul is remembered by his friends, family, colleagues and employees as a true gentleman and a proud but humble Australian.