Peter Nixon
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Minister for Shipping and Transport | |
---|---|
In office 11 November 1975 – 8 December 1979 | |
Prime Minister | Malcolm Fraser |
Preceded by | Charles Jones |
Succeeded by | Ralph Hunt |
In office 5 February 1971 – 5 December 1972 | |
Prime Minister | John Gorton William McMahon |
Preceded by | Charles Jones |
Succeeded by | Ralph Hunt |
Postmaster-General | |
In office 11 November 1975 – 22 December 1975 | |
Prime Minister | Malcolm Fraser |
Preceded by | Reg Bishop |
Succeeded by | Victor Garland |
Minister for the Interior | |
In office 16 October 1967 – 5 February 1971 | |
Prime Minister | Harold Holt John McEwen John Gorton |
Preceded by | Doug Anthony |
Succeeded by | Ralph Hunt |
Member of the Australian Parliament for Gippsland | |
In office 9 December 1961 – 4 February 1983 | |
Preceded by | George Bowden |
Succeeded by | Peter McGauran |
Personal details | |
Born | Orbost, Victoria, Australia | 22 March 1928
Political party | Country / NCP |
Spouse |
Sally Dahlsen (m. 1954–2013) |
Children | Joanne, Mark & Christopher |
Education | Wesley College, Melbourne |
Occupation | Grazier, company director |
Peter James Nixon
Nixon is the earliest elected Country MP still alive,
Early life
Nixon was born on 22 March 1928 in
Nixon attended Wesley College, Melbourne. At the age of 18 he sustained a severe injury to his left hip while playing Australian rules football, requiring him to spend eight months in hospital. He passed the time by reading and playing chess.[5] Following his recovery Nixon took up farming, the fourth generation of his family to farm in Gippsland.[6] He had a 500-acre (200 ha) property named Macclesfield, where he grew seed beans and maize. He later switched to mixed farming, growing lucerne and keeping dairy cattle.[7]
Political career
Nixon was elected to parliament at the 1961 federal election, following the resignation of George Bowden, the incumbent Country Party MP in Gippsland. He had initially not been a candidate for preselection, agreeing to stand only when the presumed nominee suffered a fatal heart attack three days before nominations closed.[5]
Nixon was one of several young Country Party MP's mentored by party leader John McEwen as part of his succession strategy, along with Doug Anthony and Ian Sinclair.[8]
In 1967, Nixon was appointed Minister for the Interior in the Holt government, retaining the position in the Gorton government. He was elevated to cabinet following the 1969 election. Following a cabinet reshuffle he was instead appointed Minister for Shipping and Transport in the McMahon government in February 1971, holding the portfolio until the government's defeat at the 1972 federal election.[3]
As interior minister, Nixon held responsibility for the
In opposition from 1972 to 1975, Nixon was a prominent figure in persuading his National Party colleagues to help pass Australian Labor Party legislation opposed by the Nationals' coalition partner, the Liberal Party. Nixon was also a longtime critic of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which he accused of being biased against the National Party.[citation needed]
During the
In 1981, as primary industry minister, Nixon faced a scandal over meat substitution, whereby beef exports to the United States had been found to contain kangaroo and horse meat.[10] The government subsequently announced a royal commission into the meat industry, which found that Nixon and his department had not responded adequately to earlier reports of misconduct within the industry.[11] In response, Nixon offered his resignation to Fraser.[12]
On the floor of parliament, Nixon was known for trading insults with opposition members and particularly his verbal stoushes with
Later life
In 1984, Nixon was appointed chair of
Outside of broadcasting, Nixon was a member of the
Nixon delivered the eulogy at Malcolm Fraser's state funeral in 2015.[14]
Personal life
In 1952 Nixon, married Jacqueline "Sally" Dahlsen, with whom he had three children.[15]
In the 1990s, Nixon suffered severe injuries in a
Honours
On 26 January 1993, Nixon was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his service to the Australian parliament and to the community.[16]
References
- ^ "Parliamentary Handbook: Historical Information on the Australian Parliament". Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
- ^ Malcolm Farnsworth (2020). "Living Former Members Of The House Of Representatives (1949–1972)". Australianpolitics.com.
- ^ a b c "Biography for NIXON, the Hon. Peter James, AO". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ a b West, Chris (2022). "True survivor". Gippsland Life. Vol. 50. pp. 8–11.
- ^ a b c "'Tough' Minister thrives on deep policy issues". The Canberra Times. 10 July 1968.
- ^ a b "The new 'Mayor'". The Canberra Times. 17 October 1967.
- ^ "New 'mayoress' a country girl at heart". The Canberra Times. 19 October 1967.
- ^ a b Arklay, Tracey (2021). "Ian McCahon Sinclair (1929–)". Biographical Dictionary of the House of Representatives.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2008.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Kangaroo meat in export packs: Nixon". The Canberra Times. 22 August 1981.
- ^ "Meat report uproar". The Canebrra Times. 22 September 1982.
- ^ "Nixon puts his political future in PM's hand". The Canberra Times. 20 September 1982.
- ^ a b Lamberton, Hugh (10 December 1994). "Front man for new player in town". The Canberra Times.
- ^ "Malcolm Fraser, former prime minister, farewelled at state funeral". ABC News. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ "Choral service for wedding". The Herald. 27 July 1954.
- ^ "It's an Honour: AO". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2008.