Marie Bashir facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO FTSE
Bashir in 2008
37th Governor of New South Wales
In office 1 March 2001 – 1 October 2014
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Premier	Bob Carr Morris Iemma Nathan Rees Kristina Keneally Barry O'Farrell Mike Baird
Preceded by	Gordon Samuels
Succeeded by	David Hurley
Lieutenant	James Spigelman Tom Bathurst
17th Chancellor of the University of Sydney
In office 1 June 2007 – 15 December 2012
Vice-Chancellor	Gavin Brown Michael Spence
Preceded by	Kim Santow
Succeeded by	Belinda Hutchinson
Personal details
Born	Marie Roslyn Bashir (1930-12-01) 1 December 1930 (age 94) Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia
Spouse	Sir Nicholas Shehadie ​ ​ (m. 1957; died 2018)​
Children	3
Residences	Mosman, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Alma mater	University of Sydney
Occupation	Psychiatrist
Profession	Medicine and psychiatry

Dame Marie Roslyn Bashir (born 1 December 1930) is a well-known Australian who served as the Governor of New South Wales. She was the second longest-serving governor in the state's history. Born in Narrandera, New South Wales, Marie Bashir studied at the University of Sydney. She graduated in 1956 and worked in various medical roles, focusing on mental health.

In 1993, she became the Clinical Director of Mental Health Services for Central Sydney. She held this important job until she was appointed governor on 1 March 2001. Marie Bashir also served as the Chancellor of the University of Sydney from 2007 to 2012. She retired from her role as governor on 1 October 2014. General David Hurley took over from her.

Early Life and Education

Marie Roslyn Bashir was born in 1930 in Narrandera, New South Wales. Her parents, Michael Bashir and Victoria Melick, were from Lebanon. Her father and his brother were both doctors who studied at the American University of Beirut. Her mother's family had moved to Australia in the 1800s.

Marie went to Narrandera Public School. In 1943, she started at Sydney Girls High School, which her mother had also attended. Marie moved to Sydney to live with her grandmother so she could go to this school. After finishing high school in 1947, she studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She became a very good violinist.

Marie Bashir then studied medicine at the Sydney Medical School, part of the University of Sydney. She earned her medical degrees (MBBS) in 1956. While at university, she lived at The Women's College, University of Sydney. She later became the Chair of the College Council. In 1957, she married Nicholas Shehadie, a rugby player. They had three children: Michael, Susan, and Alexandra.

Medical Career and Public Service

After becoming a doctor, Marie Bashir worked at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney and then at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children. She started as a General Practitioner in Western Sydney. However, she wanted to help people with mental health issues. So, she decided to study psychiatry. To make this easier, her family moved to Mosman, New South Wales in central Sydney in 1968.

When her husband, Nicholas Shehadie, became the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Marie Bashir became the Lady Mayoress from 1973 to 1975. In 1974, she was named "Mother of the Year" in New South Wales. She noted that being chosen as a working mother showed that society was starting to accept women who worked. After finishing her studies in psychiatry, she became a Member of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in 1971. She became a Fellow in 1980. From 1972, she also taught medical students at the University of Sydney.

In 1972, Marie Bashir became the Director of the Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Unit. This unit helps young people with emotional and mental health problems. In 1987, she became director of Community Health Services in Central Sydney. This role focused on health for young children, migrants, Indigenous people, and the elderly. On 13 June 1988, she was recognized for her service to medicine, especially in youth mental health.

The Rivendell Unit in Concord West, where Bashir served as founding Director, 1972–1988.

From 1990 to 1992, she was part of the New South Wales Women's Advisory Council. In 1993, she became a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney. In 1994, she was appointed Clinical Director of Mental Health Services for Central Sydney. This was a time of big changes in how mental health services were provided. She held this role until 2001. In her university role, she helped create teaching programs between Australian psychiatrists and colleagues in Vietnam and Thailand.

In 1995, she helped set up the Aboriginal Mental Health Unit with the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern, New South Wales. This unit offers regular clinics and counseling for Indigenous Australians. From 1996, she also worked as a senior psychiatrist for the Aboriginal Medical Service. Besides supporting the health of Indigenous Australians, Marie Bashir also focused on issues affecting young people. She chaired the NSW Juvenile Justice Advisory Council from 1991 to 1999. On 1 January 2001, she received the Centenary Medal.

Governor of New South Wales and Other Roles

In early 2001, Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of Premier Bob Carr, appointed Marie Bashir as the Governor of New South Wales. This made her the first female governor of the state and the first governor of Lebanese descent in any Australian state. She officially started her role on 1 March 2001. On 30 March, she was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). Her appointment was widely praised by politicians and the public.

As governor, Marie Bashir brought new ideas to the role. For Indigenous Australians, she started a health program to support Indigenous medical and nursing students. She also supported the idea of reconciliation. On the very day she became governor, she agreed to become a Patron of the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service. This service helps with mental and social issues for people in the LGBT community. This was the first time a NSW governor had supported such an organization. In 2005, she opened the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival. She said the event helped create a sense of freedom that comes from diversity in society.

In 2002, Marie Bashir became Patron of the Australia-Vietnam Medical Trust. She became deeply involved in health programs in Vietnam, especially in rural areas. On 17 May 2001, she was invested as a Dame of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem (DStJ). Having studied violin, she also became a Patron of the Sydney University Graduate Choir in 2002. She is also a Patron of Opera Australia, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and other arts organizations.

In 2003, Marie Bashir received the Mental Health Princess Award from Princess Galyani Vadhana of Thailand. This was for her work on mental health programs between Australia and Thailand. In 2004, she was recognized as an Australian Living Treasure. In March 2004, during a visit to Lebanon, she was appointed a Grand Officer of the National Order of the Cedar by the President of Lebanon. Premier Carr then recommended that her term as governor be extended, which the Queen approved.

On 31 March 2006, the Queen appointed her a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO). In April 2007, Marie Bashir was elected Chancellor of the University of Sydney. She started this four-year role on 1 June 2007. Her term as governor was extended again until February 2012. On 4 November 2009, she received the Chevalier of the Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur from France.

As the longest-serving state governor, Marie Bashir often acted as the Administrator of the Commonwealth. This happened when the Governor-General of Australia was out of the country. She held this role many times between 2007 and 2010. In late 2010, the Mosman Municipal Council named a new sports center in Rawson Park after her. The "Marie Bashir Mosman Sports Centre" was officially opened on 10 December 2010.

Bashir taking part in the 2013 Anzac Day parade in Sydney.

On 14 September 2011, Premier Barry O'Farrell announced that her term as governor would be extended for another two years until 2014. He praised her caring nature and hard work. From the start of her time as governor, Marie Bashir did not live in Government House, Sydney. However, in October 2011, Premier O'Farrell offered for her to move back in. She agreed, and the house was refurbished for her.

On 19 April 2012, she received the Grand Cordon of the National Order of the Cedar from the President of Lebanon. In May 2012, she announced she would retire as Chancellor of the University of Sydney. Her portrait as Chancellor was unveiled and now hangs in the Great Hall. Her term as governor was extended for another six months to September 2014, when she planned to retire.

On 26 May 2013, Marie Bashir was promoted to the rank of Officer within the Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur by the President of France. On 21 October 2013, a new primary school in Strathfield, New South Wales was named the "Marie Bashir Public School" in her honor. This recognized her great contributions to New South Wales. In December 2013, the University of Sydney renamed its infectious diseases institute the Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity (MBI). She also became patron of the NAISDA Foundation.

In the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours, Marie Bashir was made a Dame of the Order of Australia. This was for her outstanding service to New South Wales, medicine (especially mental health for young and disadvantaged people), international relations, and education. In September 2014, her official portrait as governor was unveiled at Government House.

Retirement and Continuing Work

Marie Bashir retired from her role as governor on 1 October 2014. She noted that the timing was right, just before reaching the record for longest-serving governor set by Sir Roden Cutler. She said she admired Sir Roden Cutler greatly.

After retiring, she continued her community work. She was particularly interested in helping Australian Defence Force veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. As of 2025, Marie Bashir is one of the patrons of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation. She also continues her role as patron of the NAISDA Foundation.

Titles, Styles and Honours

Titles

Viceregal styles of Dame Marie Bashir
Reference style	Her Excellency
Spoken style	Your Excellency

Marie Bashir's full title as governor was: Her Excellency Professor The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir, Dame of the Order of Australia, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Governor of the State of New South Wales in the Commonwealth of Australia.

Honours

National and International Awards

	Dame of the Order of Australia (AD)	2014
	Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)	2001
	Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)	1988
	Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)	2006
	Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem	2001
	Centenary Medal	2001
	Grand Cordon of the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanon)	2012
	Grand Officer of the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanon)	2004
	Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)	2014
	Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (France)	2009

State Awards

	Commissioner's Commendation for Service	22 August 2014 – Awarded by the New South Wales Police Force
	Commissioner's Sesquicentenary Unit Citation	22 August 2014 – Awarded by the New South Wales Police Force
	Medal of the Library Council of New South Wales	21 October 2014 – Awarded by the State Library of New South Wales
	Distinguished Service Medal – Gold	October 2016 – Awarded by The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Appointments

• 1980 Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP).
• 2004 Honorary Member of the United Nations Development Fund for Women.
• 2006 Honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (Hon.FTSE).
• 2007 Honorary Member of the Australian Medical Association.

Honorary Degrees

• 3 May 2002: Honorary Doctorate of the University (D.Univ.) by the Australian Catholic University.
• 11 October 2002: Honorary Doctor of Medicine (MD) by the University of Sydney.
• 13 November 2004: Honorary Doctorate of the University (D.Univ.) by Southern Cross University.
• 2004: Honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) by the University of New South Wales.
• 2007: Honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) by the University of Wollongong.
• 20 April 2012: Honorary Doctorate of the University (D.Univ.) by Macquarie University.
• 17 April 2014: Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by the University of Western Sydney.

Honorary Appointments

• 1 March 2001: Honorary and Regimental Colonel in the Royal New South Wales Regiment.
• 1 March 2001: Honorary Air Commodore of No. 22 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force.
• 9 October 2008: Honorary Commodore, Navy Warfare Training, Royal Australian Navy.
• 22 August 2014: Honorary Governor of the New South Wales Police Force.

Named in Her Honour

• Marie Bashir Peace Awards, National Council of Women of New South Wales.
• Marie Bashir Mosman Sports Centre, Mosman.
• Marie Bashir Public School, Strathfield.
• Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity (MBI), University of Sydney.
• Governor Marie Bashir Reading Room, State Library of New South Wales.
• Professor Marie Bashir Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown.