2003
Honorary award citation
Rev. Comben, who will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy, is recognised for his commitment to heritage, environment and wildlife conservation issues.
Rev. Comben grew up in England and emigrated to Australia where he worked as a jackaroo on an outback NSW property, and then with a mining company before completing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Queensland and a MBA undertaken at Bond University. He also completed a Graduate Diploma of Theology at the Brisbane College of Theology.
He entered state politics in 1983 and serving in opposition rose to be Minister for Environment and Heritage before becoming the Minister for Education.
Rev. Comben has demonstrated a great commitment to environmental protection and preservation. He is a Councillor with the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Geographical Society. His interest in the environment is also demonstrated through his commitment to the Brisbane Forest Park Advisory Board, where he has been the Chair since 2001 and he is the current President of the National Trust Queensland.