Vale Professor Honourable Dame Marie Bashir

UNSW recognises the life and legacy of the former NSW governor and national trailblazer.

UNSW Sydney pays tribute to the life and legacy of Professor Marie Bashir AD CVO, former NSW governor, eminent psychiatrist and one of Australia’s great public servants.

Prof. Bashir studied medicine and surgery at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1956. She went on to teach at USYD and later with UNSW.

UNSW Dean of Medicine & Health, Professor Cheryl Jones, said Prof. Bashir had a profound impact on medicine, education and social justice.

“Professor Bashir was a powerful champion for children’s rights, a gifted and respected diplomat in our region, and a steadfast advocate for the vital role of higher education and universities in improving lives. She leaves an enduring legacy of great kindness and a lifetime’s dedication to humanity.” 

Prof. Bashir was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by UNSW in 2004.

UNSW Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Vlado Perkovic said Prof. Bashir’s life was marked by intelligence, kindness and deep dedication to equality. 

“Professor Bashir’s contribution to our UNSW community will be remembered with respect and gratitude. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and the many lives she enriched. She was, in every sense, a truly extraordinary person.”

A trailblazing life and career

Prof. Bashir maintained interests in medicine and education throughout her life.

She advocated for mothers to enter and stay in the workforce at a time when many were forced to leave their professions once they married or started families. In 1974, she was awarded 'Mother of the Year' by the NSW Child Care Committee and the National Council of Women (NSW). At the time, Prof. Bashir stated that it was a sign of the greater acceptance of mothers in the workforce.

She took on leadership roles in mental health and advocacy for Indigenous Australians.

In 2001 she was appointed the 37th Governor of NSW, the first woman to hold the role. She was also the first person of Lebanese descent to be appointed as governor of an Australian state.

Prof. Bashir quickly became a visible and much-loved public figure. She was widely respected across the political divide. During her term as governor, she worked with six different premiers, retiring from the position in 2014 after 13 years and seven months in the role, becoming the second-longest serving governor for the state.

She became the Chancellor of the University of Sydney in 2007, serving in that role until 2012. She was also the Patron of the Shalom Gamarada scholarship program, which supported Indigenous students to study medicine at UNSW. 

In 1988, Prof. Bashir was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, and in 2001 a Companion in the Order of Australia. She was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003.

In 2003, she received the Mental Health Princess Award, awarded by HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana of Thailand, for contribution to collaborative Mental Health programs between Australia and Thailand.

In 2004, she was made an Honorary Member of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and selected as one of Australia’s National Living Treasures. 

Professor Bashir is survived by her three children and was married to the late Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE, whom she met while studying medicine at the University of Sydney.