[1] Holyoake "neither encouraged nor discouraged" Comber in his decision to seek the National nomination for Wellington Central when Dan Riddiford announced his retirement.

Comber felt his father-in-law hadn't given him much chance of beating local lawyer Barry Brill for the candidacy, but he prevailed.

[6] In the Muldoon cabinet, he was under-secretary for Internal Affairs, Local Government, Recreation and Sport, Civil Defence, and Arts.

As he represented a well educated urban electorate this put him out of step with his liberally minded constituents, and contributed to his loss at the 1981 election following the divisive Springbok tour earlier that year.

[3] Ahead of the 1987 election he unsuccessfully put himself forward for the National nomination in the Ohariu electorate which neighboured Wellington Central.