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Marie Bashir

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Her Excellency Professor
Marie Bashir
AC, CVO
37th Governor of New South Wales
Assumed office
1 March 2001
MonarchElizabeth II
LieutenantJames Spigelman
Preceded byGordon Samuels
17th Chancellor of the University of Sydney
Assumed office
1 June 2007
Preceded byKim Santow
Personal details
Born (1930-12-01) 1 December 1930 (age 93)[1]
Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia
SpouseSir Nicholas Shehadie
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
ProfessionMedicine and Psychiatry

Marie Roslyn Bashir AC, CVO (born. 1 December 1930[1] ) is the present Governor of New South Wales since 2001 and also the Chancellor of the University of Sydney since 2007. Born in Narrandera, New South Wales, Bashir graduated from the University of Sydney in 1956 and held various medical positions, with a particular emphasis in psychiatry. In 1993 Bashir was appointed as the Clinical Director of Mental Health Services for the Central Sydney Area, which she held until she was appointed as Governor in March 2001. She was further appointed in June 2007 as Chancellor of the University of Sydney.[2]

Early years

Marie Roslyn Bashir was born in 1930 in Narrandera, New South Wales, to Lebanese-born parents[3] and attended Narrandera Public School and Sydney Girls High School.[4] She completed the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in 1956 at the University of Sydney, residing at The Women's College from 1950 to 1955. In 1959 she was elected to the College Council, became Honorary Secretary in 1960 and was Chair from 1982 to 1990. She took up life membership of the College Union in 1969.[5]

In February 1957, Bashir married the Australian Rugby player, Nicholas Shehadie, with whom she had three children. Bashir was named Mother of the Year in 1971. When Shehadie was made Lord Mayor of Sydney, Bashir became the Lady Mayoress of Sydney from 1971 to 1973. When Shehadie was Knighted in 1976, Bashir acquired the title 'Lady Shehadie', but seldom uses it, preferring to use her maiden name. After completion of postgraduate studies in psychiatry, she was made a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in 1971. From 1972, Bashir was a teacher, lecturer and mentor to medical students at The University of Sydney.[2]

Medical career

In 1982 Bashir was appointed to establish the Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Service to provide consultative services for young people with emotional and psychiatric problems. Bashir also worked as the medical resident officer of St Vincent's Hospital and of the Children's Hospital. In 1987, she was appointed director of the Community Health Services in the Central Sydney Area, which put emphasis on early childhood services, migrant and Indigenous health as well as the elderly. On 13 June 1988 she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) "In recognition of service to medicine, particularly in the field of adolescent mental health".[6]

From 1990 to 1992, she served on the New South Wales Women's Advisory Council. In 1993, she was appointed as Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney, and in 1994 as 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 and she served until 2001.[2] In her university role, Bashir instrumental in developing collaborative teaching programs between colleagues in Vietnam and Thailand with Australian psychiatrists. 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. 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.[2] On 1 January 2001, Bashir was awarded the Centenary Medal.[7]

Governor and Chancellor

In 2001, on the recommendation of Premier Bob Carr, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, appointed Bashir as the Governor of New South Wales, thus becoming the state's first female governor, and the first governor of any Australian state from a Lebanese background. She was sworn in on 1 March 2001 and on 30 March she was appointed as a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).[8] 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).[9] Having previously studied violin at the Conservatorium of Music, Sydney, in 2002 Bashir was asked to become the Patron of the Sydney University Graduate Choir. She is also a Patron of Opera Australia and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

File:Boband03swearingin.png
Bashir following the swearing-in of the 2003 Carr Ministry

In 2003 Bashir received the Mental Health Princess Award, awarded by Princess Galyani Vadhana of Thailand, for contribution to collaborative mental health programs between Australia and Thailand and in 2004 she was recognised as an Australian Living Treasure.[10][11] In 2004 she was made an Honorary Member of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).[10] In March 2004, Bashir was appointed Commander of the National Order of the Cedar by His Excellency General Emile Lahoud, President of the Republic of Lebanon.[10] On 14 September, Premier Carr announced that he would recommend to the Queen that Bashir's term be extended for another three years. Buckingham Palace confirmed his recommendation on 1 October saying that: "The Queen is content for Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC, to remain in her current position until February 2008 as recommended."[12]

On 31 March 2006, Her Majesty The Queen appointed her a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO).[13] In April 2007 Bashir was elected by the University Senate to take up a four-year appointment as Chancellor of the University of Sydney on 1 June 2007.[14] It was announced on 15 October 2007 that the Queen, on the recommendation of Premier Morris Iemma, had extended Bashir's appointment as Governor for a further four years to February 2012.[15] On 4 November 2009, she was invested as a Chevalier of the Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur by His Excellency Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, and presented by His Excellency Mr Michel Filhol, Ambassador of France in Australia.[16]

As the longest serving State Governor, Bashir holds a dormant commission to act as the Administrator of the Commonwealth when the Governor-General of Australia is absent from Australia.[17] She has held the position of Administrator many times from 10 July to 17 July 2007, 30 September to 12 October 2007, 20 April to 4 May 2008 in the absence of Michael Jeffery, and from 30 July to 6 August 2008, 5 November to 19 November 2008, 17 March to 2 April 2009, 7 June to 12 June 2010, in the absence of Quentin Bryce. In May–June 2010, the New South Wales Government experienced a series of resignations: Karyn Paluzzano over expenses abuse, David Campell over a personal scandal amid ministerial incompetence, Ian Macdonald over expenses abuse and Graham West's retirement. These were widely seen as highlighting the NSW Government's inability to govern effectively and in response to this there were various calls for Bashir to take action as Governor and dismiss the government.[18] She played down these calls in a 10 June Radio interview saying that: "The only way that they [the NSW Government] can disappear, so to speak, is if there's a vote of no confidence...Elections do come round from time to time so it's back in the hands of the people."[19]

Titles, styles and honours

Titles

Viceregal styles of
Marie Bashir
Reference styleHer Excellency
Spoken styleYour Excellency
  • 1930–1956: Miss Marie Bashir
  • 1956–1971: Doctor Marie Bashir
  • 1971–1973: Doctor Marie Bashir, Lady Mayoress of Sydney
  • 1973–1976: Doctor Marie Bashir
  • 1976–1988: Doctor Marie Bashir, Lady Shehadie
  • 1988–1993: Doctor Marie Bashir AO, Lady Shehadie
  • 1993–2001: Professor Marie Bashir AO, Lady Shehadie
  • 2001–2006: Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC, Governor of New South Wales
  • 2006–present: Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales
    • As Administrator: Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Administrator of the Commonwealth of Australia.[20]
    • As Chancellor: Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Chancellor of the University of Sydney

Honours

Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) 2001[8]
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) 1988[6]
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) 2006[13]
Dame of Grace of the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem (DStJ) 2001[9]
Centenary Medal 2001[7]
Commander of the National Order of the Cedar 2004[10]
Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur 2009[16]

Appointments

Honorary degrees

Honorary military appointments

References

  1. ^ a b Clune, David (2009). The Governors of New South Wales: 1788-2010. Sydney: Federation Press. pp. pg 614. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Invalid |nopp=Y (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |nopp= ignored (|no-pp= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c d "Professor Marie Bashir elected University Chancellor" (Press release). University of Sydney. 30 April 2007. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  3. ^ Coleman, Sarah. "Marie Bashir: From Psychiatry to Politics". World Press Review. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
  4. ^ "Distinguished Old Girls". The History of Sydney Girls High School. Sydney Girls High School. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
  5. ^ "Marie Bashir". The Women's College. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
  6. ^ a b Officer of the Order of Australia, AO, 13 June 1988, itsanhonour.gov.au
    Citation: In recognition of service to medicine, particularly in the field of adolescent mental health.
  7. ^ a b Centenary Medal, 1 January 2001, itsanhonour.gov.au
  8. ^ a b Companion of the Order of Australia, AC, 30 March 2001, itsanhonour.gov.au
    Citation: In recognition of service as Governor of New South Wales.
  9. ^ a b "Governor-General's Program – 17 May 2001". Governor-General of Australia. Retrieved 2009-03-03. [dead link]
  10. ^ a b c d "9th National Rural Health Conference" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  11. ^ "Australia's Living National Treasures". National Trust of Australia. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  12. ^ "Governor of New South Wales Reappointment" (Press release). Hansard - NSW Parliament. 26 October 2004. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  13. ^ a b Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, CVO, 31 March 2006, itsanhonour.gov.au
    Citation: Governor of New South Wales.
  14. ^ "Bashir named Uni of Sydney chancellor". Sydney Morning Herald. 30 April 2007. Retrieved 2010-08-09.
  15. ^ "NSW Governor Bashir to stay on" (Press release). ABC News. 15 October 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  16. ^ a b "Official inauguration of the new building of the Sydney Alliance Française". French Embassy, Australia. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  17. ^ Commonwealth of Australia Gazette S205 dated 17 June 2003
  18. ^ Bennett, Adam (5 June 2010). "NSW ministers quit, forcing new reshuffle". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
  19. ^ "Governor can't sack NSW Government" (Press release). ABC News. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  20. ^ Commonwealth of Australia Gazette S55 dated 16 April 2010
  21. ^ "Professor Marie Bashir AC". University of Sydney. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  22. ^ "Royal New South Wales Regiment memorial" (PDF). Vasey Housing Association. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  23. ^ "No.22 (City of Sydney) Squadron, RAAF, Department of Defence". Australian Government. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
  24. ^ "Three Cheers for Commodore Bashir". University of Technology, Sydney. Retrieved 2009-03-03. [dead link]

External links

Government offices
Preceded by Governor of New South Wales
2001–present 		Incumbent
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of the University of Sydney
2007–present 		Incumbent

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