Personal History
He is the son of the late Australian politician Sir Hal Colebatch and Marion, Lady Colebatch, a former Australian Army nursing sister who was the daughter of long-time Fremantle mayor and parliamentarian Sir Frank Gibson. He is the author of Sir Hal Colebatch's biography, Steadfast Knight (foreword by Professor Geoffrey Blainey), published by the Fremantle Arts Centre Press.
He received a BA Honours and MA in History/Politics and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Western Australia as well as degrees in jurisprudence and law.
He was awarded an Australian Centenary Medal in 2003 for writing, law, poetry and political commentary, the only award for this combination of activities. He has also received an award from the Vietnamese community in Perth for work for Vietnamese refugees and was chairman of the Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship in Western Australia 2003-2006. He has written a centenary history of the league "Good work and Friendship" (2010). He was a keynote speaker at the "Summersounds" colloquiums held at Blenheim, New Zealand, in June, 2008, and in Nelson, New Zealand, in 2009. He delivered a lecture "How Red are the Greens?" to the Melbourne Adam Smith Club in November 2010. He previously served in the Australian Naval Reserve Cadets and reached the rank of Petty Officer.
Colebatch also stood in the 1977 and 1993 state elections for the seat of Perth as the Liberal Party - (i.e. in Australia conservative party) candidate, and although he was not elected to the Legislative Assembly on either occasion, on the second attempt he came within 0.12% of winning the seat from the Australian Labor Party, who had held it since 1968. He received a commemorative award in honour of Prince Micheal Romanov of Russia, one of 88 struck.
Read more about this topic: Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch
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