NSW Rugby Union and the NSW Waratahs today mourns the passing of Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO. Dame Marie was a remarkable Australian and a cherished Patron of NSW Rugby Union and the NSW Waratahs. Her life of service, leadership and compassion left an enduring impact on New South Wales and the wider community.
Dame Marie’s patronage of NSW Rugby and the NSW Waratahs was marked by a genuine warmth for people and a deep belief in the power of community institutions to bring the best out of others. She embodied the values that sit at the heart of rugby - respect, integrity, teamwork and service - and she championed the role sport can play in strengthening communities, creating opportunity, and fostering belonging.
A trailblazer in public life, Dame Marie served as the 37th Governor of New South Wales from 2001 to 2014, becoming the first woman to hold the office. Beyond her historic vice-regal service, she was a distinguished clinician and advocate for mental health, education and social cohesion, and a role model to generations of Australians.
Dame Marie also shared a lifelong connection to rugby through her late husband, Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE - a towering figure of the game in New South Wales and Australia. Sir Nicholas represented Australia in rugby union, served as President of the Australian Rugby Union, and held senior leadership roles across public life. Together, Dame Marie and Sir Nicholas were admired for their commitment to community, service and the people of NSW - values that continue to define rugby at its best.
NSW Rugby Union and NSW Waratahs Chairman Tony Crawford remarked that Dame Marie’s legacy would be felt for generations.
“Dame Marie Bashir was one of the great figures of our state - principled, compassionate and unwavering in her commitment to people,” Crawford said.
“As Patron of NSW Rugby Union and the NSW Waratahs, she carried herself with grace and genuine interest, and her support for our rugby community meant a great deal. We are deeply saddened by her passing and extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones.”
NSW Rugby Union and NSW Waratahs President Matt Burke believes Dame Marie’s patronage was an honour for the organisation.
“Dame Marie represented the very best of New South Wales,” Burke said.
“She led with dignity and humanity, and she believed strongly in the role that community organisations - including sport - play in shaping lives. We were privileged to have her as our Patron, and we will remember her with enormous respect and gratitude.”
Dame Marie’s association with NSW Rugby and the Waratahs reflected her broader commitment to institutions that connect people across backgrounds and generations - from grassroots clubs and volunteers, to schools and communities throughout the state. Her encouragement of service and participation resonated strongly with the thousands of players, coaches, referees, volunteers and supporters who make rugby possible.
NSW Rugby Union and the NSW Waratahs extend its sincere sympathies to Dame Marie’s family, friends and colleagues, and to all those across New South Wales who are grieving her loss.
Vale Dame Marie Bashir.
