Marie Bashir, the Governor of New South Wales, is the second woman to be appointed a Dame of the Order of Australia since knight and dames honours were reintroduced by Prime Minister Tony Abott Earlier this year.
Dame Marie,was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her lifetime of achievement in the fields of psychiatry, tertiary education, indigenous issues, public administration and as the Governor of New South Wales since 2001. Her term as Governor of New South Wales ends in October 2014.
Dame Marie says she is “extremely overwhelmed”, adding that the main honour has been working with people.
“Actually the joy, the honour is working amongst the people, working amongst those that I have had the great privilege of working amongst since I graduated in medicine,” she said on the ABC. “I think that says it all. The greatest privilege has been trusted by people.”
“Her Excellency has brought warmth, compassion and grace to Australia’s oldest public office,” Prime Minister Tony Abott said. “She has been an advocate for the disadvantaged and marginalised in the community, particularly those with mental illness.
“Her contribution has also lifted the quality of health care in the Asia Pacific region, training and inspiring many medical practitioners to provide life changing health care to so many. “She has given dedicated service as Chancellor of the University of Sydney and is patron to more than 370 organisations.”
“Dame Marie is currently the longest serving Vice-Regal representative in Australia and has served as Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia during absences of the Governor-General. “Along with her husband Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE, I am sure she will continue to make a positive contribution to Australian public life.”
To see Dame Marie’s biography, go to www.governor.nsw.gov.au/her-excellency-professor-the-honourable-marie-bashir-ac-cvo/
More than 700 Australians were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday honours this year.
Across 32 categories, 178 women and 393 men were selected for the honours, while a further 212 Australians are receiving recognition through military and meritorious awards.
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