Terence Cole

Terence Rhoderic Hudson Cole (born 31 October 1937), is an Australian jurist, known best for presiding over two Australian Government Royal Commissions.

Background Cole was born in Longreach, Queensland, and was educated at Fort Street High School in Sydney; where he was school Vice Captain. He graduated from the University of Sydney in 1961 with a BA LL.B. and the 2005-2006 Cole Inquiry investigating allegations that AWB Limited paid illegal bribes to the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein in order to secure wheat sales to Iraq.

On 31 March 2008, Cole was appointed by the Chief of the Australian Defence Force to head an inquiry into the loss of the cruiser HMAS Sydney in a mutually destructive battle during World War II.

He received the Reserve Force Decoration in 1994 for fifteen years service to the Australian Naval Reserve.