Her Majesty the Queen has accepted my recommendation that Her Excellency Professor The Honourable Marie Bashir AC CVO be awarded Australia’s highest honour, Dame in the Order of Australia.
This honour recognises a lifetime of achievement for Dame Marie in the fields of psychiatry, tertiary education, indigenous issues, public administration and as the Governor of New South Wales.
Her Excellency has brought warmth, compassion and grace to Australia's oldest public office.
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.
Her term as Governor of New South Wales ends in October 2014.
Along with her husband Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE, I am sure she will continue to make a positive contribution to Australian public life.
9 June 2014