Leneen Forde

Mary Marguerite "Leneen" Forde AC (born 12 May 1935) is a former Chancellor of Griffith University and served as the 22nd Governor of Queensland from 1992 until 1997.^[2] Forde chaired the Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions during 1998 and 1999 that found systemic child abuse in government or non-government institutions between 1911 and 1999.

Early years and background

Forde was born Mary Marguerite Leneen Kavanagh and worked as a medical laboratory technician^[2] and studied part-time for a Bachelor of Arts before moving to Australia in 1954. In 1955, she married (Francis) Gerald Forde, the son of the Right Honorable Frank Forde PC, a former Prime Minister of Australia and High Commissioner to Canada.^[3] Together, the Fordes had five children.^[4] She worked in the Haematology Department of Royal Brisbane Hospital for two years prior to full-time legal study following her husband's death in 1966. She graduated a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Queensland in 1970 and from 1971 was employed as a solicitor.^[2] From 1974 to 1992, she was a partner of Cannan & Peterson, in charge of probate and estates.

Vice-Regal appointment

In 1992, Forde was only the second woman to be appointed to the position of governor of an Australian state and the first to take on the role in Queensland.^[4]

Forde remarried a retired detective superintendent from New South Wales Police, Angus McDonald. McDonald served as Vice-Regal Consort and was the first male spouse of a Governor in Australia. Forde retired as Governor in 1997.

Forde Inquiry

In 1998, Forde was appointed to chair the Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions.^[2] Forde handed the report to the Queensland Government in May 1999. The Inquiry covered 159 institutions from 1911 to 1999 and found abuse had occurred and made 42 recommendations relating to contemporary child protection practices, youth justice and redress of past abuse. The Inquiry resulted in reconciliation initiatives including apologies, commemorative memorials and events, establishment and delivery of the Queensland Government Redress Scheme, establishment of the Forde Foundation Trust Fund, and establishment of community-based support services.^[5][6]

Honours

On 26 January 1993, Forde was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in recognition of her service to the law, to improving the status of women and to economic and business development.^[7] Forde is a Dame of Grace in the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. She was International President of Zonta from 1990 until 1992,^[2] and 1991 Queenslander of the Year.^[8]

References

External links

• Forde, Mary Marguerite Leneen (Leneen) in The Encyclopedia of Women and Leadership in the Twentieth Century
• McDermott, Quentin (18 August 2003). "Interview with Leneen Forde" (transcript). Four Corners. Australia: ABC TV. Retrieved 1 December 2012. 

Governors of Queensland
	Before Federation	Bowen Blackall Phipps Cairns Kennedy Musgrave Norman Lamington
	After Federation	Chermside Thesiger MacGregor Goold-Adams Nathan Goodwin Wilson Lavarack Abel Smith Mansfield Hannah Ramsay Campbell Forde Arnison Bryce Wensley de Jersey