Margaret Beazley facts for kids

Margaret Joan Beazley is a very important Australian jurist. She was born on 23 July 1951. Since May 2019, she has been the 39th and current governor of New South Wales. Before this, she was the president of the New South Wales Court of Appeal. She was the first woman to hold this high position.

Early Life and Education

Margaret Beazley grew up in Hurstville, Sydney, New South Wales. She was one of five children. Her father worked as a milkman.

She went to Catholic schools for her early education. These included St Declan's Primary School and St Joseph's Girls High School. Later, she studied law at the University of Sydney. She graduated with honours in 1974 from the Sydney Law School.

Legal Career Highlights

After finishing university, Margaret Beazley began her legal career. She became a lawyer in New South Wales in 1975. In 1989, she was appointed Queen's Counsel. This is a special title for experienced lawyers.

She worked in several important legal roles. From 1993 to 1996, she was a judge of the Federal Court of Australia. This court deals with national laws.

First Woman President of the Court of Appeal

From 1996 to 2019, she served as a Judge of Appeal. This means she helped make decisions in the New South Wales Court of Appeal. This court reviews decisions made by other courts.

In 2013, Margaret Beazley made history. She became the President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal. She was the very first woman to hold this important position. She served in this role until February 2019.

She also helped with Amnesty International in Australia in 1980. This group works to protect human rights around the world.

Governor of New South Wales

In January 2019, Margaret Beazley accepted a new role. She became the 39th Governor of New South Wales. She officially started this job on 2 May 2019. The Governor is the King's representative in the state. This role involves many important duties. These include opening Parliament and approving new laws.

In 2020, she received a high honour. She was promoted to Companion of the Order of Australia. This award recognized her excellent service to the people of New South Wales. It also highlighted her leadership in the legal system. She was also recognized for helping young women lawyers.

Honours and Awards

Margaret Beazley has received many awards for her service.

	Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)	2020
	Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)	2006
	Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem	2019

Honorary Appointments

• 2019: Honorary Colonel of the Royal New South Wales Regiment.
• 2019: Governor of the New South Wales Police Force.
• 2019: Deputy Prior of the Order of St John.
• 2019: Honorary Commodore, Royal Australian Navy.
• 2019: Honorary Air Commodore of No. 22 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force.

Honorary Degrees

• 2008: Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) by the University of Sydney.
• 2019: Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) by the Australian Catholic University.
• 2022: Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) by The University of Notre Dame Australia.

Personal Life

Margaret Beazley is married to Dennis Wilson. She has three adult children from her first marriage. Her first husband was barrister Alan Sullivan. They were known for being the first husband and wife lawyers to both become Queen's Counsel.

See also

• List of judges of the Supreme Court of New South Wales