John McVeigh (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week my community in Toowoomba again lost one of our finest when Professor Glen Postle AM passed away after an illness over recent years. University of Southern Queensland Vice-Chancellor, Professor Geraldine Mackenzie, described Glen Postle as 'an inspirational figurehead to the university for more than 46 years'. Glen joined the then Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education in Toowoomba in 1972, and he had a very long and distinguished academic and research career at USQ, as it later became known—so much so, that he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to education.

Glen was—in his extracurricular activities, if you like—a patron of Toowoomba Older Mens Network in recent years, and he was a founder of both the Toowoomba Flexi School, which focused on providing education opportunities to young people who had difficulties with the traditional education formats in secondary school, and also the Toowoomba Education Centre. Interestingly, he was the eldest grandson of legendary sprinter Arthur Postle from Pittsworth in my electorate, who was, at the time, the fastest man in the world. This was back in the early 1900s. It was fitting, therefore, for Glen to be the final runner in Toowoomba of the Commonwealth Games baton relay that made its way through our city earlier this year.

The Toowoomba community stands very much behind Glen's family, his wife, Sonya, his daughters, Eve and Julia, and their families. We joined them—Glen's friends and associates from across the community—at his funeral service at Centenary Heights State High School last Saturday. In this time of grief, they must be so proud of his legacy and the fine human being that he was and continues to be for all of us. In local media last week, USQ Chancellor John Dornbusch said that Glen lived by the belief that 'by sharing and caring for others, you grow' and that he'll be remembered 'for his many kindnesses, his integrity, his passion and his leadership'. Glen gave so much of himself to others and was a friend to all of us. He will certainly be sorely missed.