Re: Could this be done better

         // private classes
         private class Colour {
             // public
             public Colour(Color color, String description) {
                 this.color = color;
                 this.description = description;
             }

             public Color getColor() {
                 return color;
             }

             public String getDescription() {
                 return description;
             }

             // private
             private Color color;
             private String description;
         }

         private class SwitchColour extends TimerTask {
             public void run() {
                 updateColour(getNextColour());
             }
         }

         //private functions
         private Colour getCurrentColour() {
             return colours[currentColour];
         }

         private Colour getNextColour() {
             currentColour = (currentColour + 1) % colours.length;
             return getCurrentColour();
         }

As much as I like your class Colour, it is probably easier and simpler
to use an enum in this case.

import java.awt.*;

public class test {
     enum Colours {
         Red(Color.RED),Blue(Color.BLUE),Green(Color.GREEN);

         private final Color value;

         Colours(Color value) {
             this.value = value;
         }

         public Color value() {
             return value;
         }
     }

     public static void main(String... args) {
         System.out.println(Colours.Red);
         System.out.println(Colours.Red.value());

         System.out.println();

         for (Colours colour : Colours.values())
             System.out.println(colour+":"+colour.value());
     }
}

C:\Users\Knute Johnson>java test
Red
java.awt.Color[r=255,g=0,b=0]

Red:java.awt.Color[r=255,g=0,b=0]
Blue:java.awt.Color[r=0,g=0,b=255]
Green:java.awt.Color[r=0,g=255,b=0]

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Knute Johnson

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Knute Johnson