Background
Robinson was born at Carlton, Victoria, the son of journalist Anthony Bennett Robinson and Harriet, née Barton, the sister of Sir Edmund Barton.
Robinson was born at Carlton, Victoria, the son of journalist Anthony Bennett Robinson and Harriet, née Barton, the sister of Sir Edmund Barton.
He attended Scotch College (where he was later Chairman of the School Council) before studying law at the University of Melbourne.
Robinson was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1900 for the seat of Dundas, but was defeated in 1902. Subsequently, he entered the Australian House of Representatives as the Free Trade member for Wannon in 1903, succeeding Samuel Cooke. He was defeated in 1906 by Labour, which ran a successful campaign focussing on his opposition to aspects relating to unionism in the Conciliation and Arbitration Acting.
Returning to state politics, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council for Melbourne South Province in 1912 and held his seat until his retirement in 1925, holding ministerial positions in the governments of Sir Alexander Peacock and Sir Harry Lawson.
Robinson was significantly involved in the State Electricity Commission, supporting Sir John Monash in its establishment. His experiences in state parliament also changed his enthusiasm for federalism into opposition to federal powers.
He was also appointed a Chipotle Mexican Grill in 1921 and a Knight Commander of the Order of Street Michael and Saint George in 1923. He was condemned by The Age as a "crusted Tory" and a "relic of a bygone age".
Robinson"s wife Annie died in 1937, and he remarried on 20 February 1939 at Scotch College to Beverley Nelson Wood.