Peter James Nixon was born at Orbost and educated at Orbost High School and Wesley College, Melbourne. He was later a delegate to various Country Party Conferences. Elected to the House of Representatives in 1961 as member for Gippsland, Nixon held the seat until retiring from Parliament prior to the March 1983 general election.

Nixon's first portfolios were as Minister for the Interior in the Holt and Gorton Governments (1967-71) and Minister for Shipping and Transport in the McMahon Government (1971-72). During the Whitlam Government, he was Opposition spokesman on transport (1974-75). In the Fraser Ministry he was Postmaster-General and Minister for Transport in the caretaker government (November-December 1975), then Minister for Transport (1975-79) and Minister for Primary Industry (1979-83). As a Minister, he was also a member of various councils, acted in other portfolios on several occasions and travelled extensively overseas. In 1981, as a guest of the Peoples' Republic of China, he negotiated the first Agricultural Accord with that country.

At different times, Nixon served on Parliamentary Committees relating to Public Accounts (1964-67), Foreign Affairs (1967), New Parliament House (1967-69), Prices (1973-75) and Pecuniary Interest of Members of Parliament (1974-75). Some of his appointments resulted from changes made to those of his fellow National (Country) Party colleague, Ian Sinclair, including membership of Fraser's Cabinet standing committees in January 1980.

In September 1982, Nixon offered to resign as Minister for Primary Industry following a comment in the Report of the Royal Commission into the Meat Industry which highlighted an inadequacy in his actions. The offer was refused by the Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser. 

Since leaving federal politics, Nixon has pursued interests as a grazier and company director, including with Gippsland and Northern Company Ltd (1983-92), Southern Cross Broadcasting (Australia) Ltd (1984-2000) and related companies, Associated Container Transport Australia (1987-92) and Fox Group Holdings Pty Ltd. He has been a Commissioner of the Australian Football League (1984-91), a Trustee of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (1985-91), a member of the Australian Football League's Hall of Fame Committee (1992-2000), Chairman of the Victorian Government's High Speed Train Committee and 'Weary' Dunlop Statue Appeal (1994), Chief Commissioner of East Gippsland Shire (1995-97) and a member of the Commonwealth-State Enquiry into the Economy of Tasmania (1996-97).

Peter Nixon was made an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) in 1993, and was a recipient of the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and the Centenary Medal in 2003.

Sources:

Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook 1965, p 178; 1982, pp 155-156
Who's Who in Australia 2004, p 1516

Summary heading

  Hon Peter Nixon AO (CP 83)

Unregistered links

1975-1979:  Marine and Ports Council of Australia - Chairman

1979         :  Aviation Industry Advisory Council - Chairman

1994         :  ‘Weary’ Dunlop Statue Appeal - Chairman

1994-1995:  Victorian Government, High Speed Train Committee - Member (Chairman 1994) 

1996-1997:  Commonwealth-State Enquiry into the Economy of Tasmania - Chairman