Background
Cox was born in Bathurst, New South Wales, and educated at Marist Brothers College in the Sydney suburb of Lidcombe. His father, Edwin, was a plumber with the NSW railways.
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Peter Cox
Edit ProfileCareer
Ben Chifley, the future prime minister, helped the Cox family. After leaving school, Peter became a public servant, working for the Department of Motor Transport in 1942. In 1949 Cox joined the Australian Labor Party.
Cox became the opposition transport spokesman in 1968 and was noted for his catchphrases.
Once Labor was returned to office in May 1976, the new Premier Neville Wran appointed Cox Minister for Transport. As a result, Cox ranked third in terms of cabinet seniority.
In a cabinet reshuffle in 1984, Cox heard from the media that he had been demoted to 13th in the cabinet, as Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy. Peter Cox, was however, not discouraged by this and went on to successfully manage this portfolio and also Public Works He did not contest the 1988 election.
Among his other honours was that of a papal knighthood.
Achievements
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He won preselection for the New South Wales state seat of Auburn at 39 and entered the Legislative Assembly at the 1965 election, when Labor, then led by Jack Renshaw, lost power. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (Association for the Study of Internal Fixation) in 1988 "in recognition of service to the NSW parliament".
Membership
From 1943 until 1945 he was a member of the Second Australian Imperial Force and served in the Borneo campaign.
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Born
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Died
October 6, 2008 (aged 82) -
Nationality
Australia -
Political Party
Australian Labor Party