Marie Bashir

Her Excellency Professor  Marie Bashir  AC, CVO
37th Governor of New South Wales
Incumbent
Assumed office  1 March 2001
Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
Premier	Bob Carr (2001–2005) Morris Iemma (2005–2008) Nathan Rees (2008–2009) Kristina Keneally (2009-)
Lieutenant	James Spigelman (2001–)
Preceded by	Gordon Samuels
Nationality	Australian
Spouse(s)	Sir Nicholas Shehadie
Alma mater	University of Sydney

Professor Marie Bashir AC, CVO (born 1930) is the current Governor of New South Wales and Chancellor of the University of Sydney. She is the first female governor of New South Wales.

Early years

Marie Rosyln Bashir was born in Narrandera, New South Wales, to Lebanese-born parents^[1] and attended Narrandera Public School and Sydney Girls High School.^[2] She completed the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine (MB) and Bachelor of Surgery (BS) in 1956 at the University of Sydney, and worked as the medical resident officer of St Vincent's Hospital and of the Children's Hospital.

After completion of her post-graduate studies in psychiatry, she was appointed to establish the Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Service to provide comprehensive specialist consultative services for young people with emotional and psychiatric problems. Her key interests have included child and adolescent depression, mental health issues affecting refugee and immigrant children, juvenile justice and Aboriginal health. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

In 1987, she was appointed director of the Community Health Services in the Central Sydney Area, which enabled closer access to primary health care links with an emphasis on early childhood services, migrant and Indigenous health, the health needs of elderly people, and communicable illness. Health promotion and health education strategies through a population health model were also key responsibilities.

In 1993, she was appointed Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney, and in 1994 the Clinical Director of Mental Health Services for the Central Sydney Area. This was a time of major reform in mental health service delivery, which contributed to substantial change in the provision of public sector mental health services. Professor Bashir served on the Examinations Committee of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and also on the Regional Issues Committee. She has established professional links with psychiatry departments in South East Asia, enabling educational exchange and placement of Asian colleagues for postgraduate experience in University of Sydney teaching hospital facilities. She has developed collaborative teaching programs between colleagues in Vietnam and Australian psychiatrists, and also with medical and nursing colleagues in Thailand. In the 1970s, she was part of a team that helped Cambodian child refugees integrate into Australian society.

Having had a special interest over many years in Indigenous health, Professor Bashir has travelled extensively to visit remote communities in Central Australia, the Kimberley and Arnhem Land to gain a closer understanding of issues of culture and history which have a significant impact on health. In 1995, in a partnership with the Aboriginal Medical Service, Redfern, she established the Aboriginal Mental Health Unit, which provides regular clinics and counselling at both the Aboriginal Medical Service in Sydney and mainstream centres. Links to some Indigenous rural communities have also been developed through the availability of Telemedicine technology. She was appointed to chair the Implementation Group on Mental Health to oversee the development of further mental health services in New South Wales as part of the overall health reform process.

Governor

Style and Title:
Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO
Governor of New South Wales

In 2001, on the recommendation of the Premier, Bob Carr, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, appointed Professor Bashir Governor of New South Wales. She is the state's first female governor, and the first governor of any Australian state from a Lebanese background. It was announced on 15 October 2007 that The Queen had extended Marie Bashir's appointment for a further four years.

Professor Bashir commenced her four-year appointment as Chancellor of the University of Sydney on 1 June 2007.^[3]

Marie Bashir is married to the former Lord Mayor of Sydney (and also the former Wallaby Captain), Sir Nicholas Shehadie, and is therefore formally Lady Shehadie. She was Lady Mayoress from 1971 to 1973 when Sir Nicholas was Lord Mayor. She is sometimes referred to as "Professor Marie Bashir, Lady Shehadie", however she does not use this title herself. The Shehadies have three children and six grandchildren.

Honours

• In 1971 Marie Bashir was named the Australian Mother of the Year.^[4]

• On 13 June 1988 she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her work with young Australians in the area of mental health.^[5] On 30 March 2001, she was upgraded to a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).^[6]

• On 1 January 2001, Professor Bashir was awarded the Centenary Medal.^[7]

• On 17 May 2001, the Governor-General, Sir William Deane, invested Bashir as a Dame of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem (DStJ).^[8]

• On 11 October 2002, she was appointed a Doctor of Medicine (honoris causa) by the University of Sydney.^[9]

• On 31 March 2006, the Queen appointed her a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO).^[10]

• She is recognised as an Australian Living Treasure.^[11]

• Professor Bashir is the Honorary and Regimental Colonel in the Royal New South Wales Regiment, a unit of the Australian Army Reserves.^[12]

• She is the honorary Air Commodore of No. 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron Royal Australian Air Force, a Reserve squadron that provides support for the Permanent Air Force in the Sydney region.^[13]

• On 9 October 2008, Professor Bashir was appointed Honorary Commodore, Navy Warfare Training,Royal Australian Navy. This is the first ever appointment of an Honorary Commodore in the Royal Australian Navy.^[14]

• Professor Bashir was appointed an Honorary Life Member of the Master Plumbers and Mechanical Contractors' Association of New South Wales, and an Honorary Contractor Licence for Plumbing, Draining and Gasfitting.^[15]

• In March 2004, the President of Lebanon appointed her a Commander of the Order of the Cedars.

• On 4 November 2009, Professor Bashir was invested with the Chevalier dans l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur awarded by His Excellency Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, and presented by His Excellency Mr Michel Filhol, Ambassador of France in Australia.

References

External links

• The Women's College – Marie Bashir
• The Whitlam Institute – Marie Bashir
• Lawlink NSW: Her Excellency Marie Bashir AC, Governor of New South Wales
• Parliament of NSW – Governor Marie Bashir