Career
Atkinson served in the Australian Army from 1968 to 1975, serving with the 8th Battalion Royal Australian Infantry in Singapore and Malaysia from 1968-1969, and in Vietnam from 1969-1970. He was awarded the Vietnam Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. From 1980 to 1988 Atkinson was a Councillor on the City of Mordialloc Council, including a stint as Mayor from 1985-1986.
Atkinson was elected to represent the Division of Isaacs in Victoria in the 1990 federal election and re-elected in 1993.
While in parliament he acted as Opposition Whip from 7 April 1993 to 26 May 1994. He lost the seat to Labor candidate Greg Wilton in the 1996 federal election, largely due to a redistribution that turned his already marginal seat into a notional Labor seat.