STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL THE HON. SIR WILLIAM DEANE, AC, KBE ON THE DEATH OF DR H.C. (NUGGET) COOMBS

29 October 1997

I have learned of the death of Dr Herbert Cole (Nugget) Coombs with great regret and with personal sadness.

He was a great Australian who served our country in an extraordinary variety of ways. He was outstanding as an economist, banker, public servant, university administrator, and proponent of the arts and, of course, author. He was also one of the great champions of the interests and needs of indigenous Australians. He was a visionary who had a tremendous impact on the shape of our society. We are all in his debt.