Brian Dixon – Hero of the Melbourne FC and Pioneering Politician

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Brian Dixon

Brian James Dixon AM is a former AFL footballer and Victorian State Member of Parliament. Following the completion of his secondary school studies at the Melbourne High School in 1953, Dixon came to prominence throughout the mid-to-late 1950s for the Melbourne Football Club in the VFL where he played 252 games for the ‘red and the blue’ between 1954 to 1968. In fact, Brian Dixon enjoys ‘Hero’ status at the Melbourne Demons Football Club.

Brian Dixon’s Achievements with the AFL and the Melbourne Demons

A five-time premiership player with the Demons throughout their ‘Golden Generation’ over a ten-year period commencing from the mid 1950s, Dixon enjoyed ultimate success with the Demons winning the Best and Fairest award in 1960 in what was another premiership-winning year for the club.

While also representing Victoria on ten occasions, Dixon later went on to coach North Melbourne from 1971 to 1972 before being selected in the Melbourne Football Club Team of the Century in 2000. Dixon capped off his distinguished VFL career by being inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame on Thursday 3 June 2010.

Brian Dixon’s Political Achievements

In 1964, Dixon, who was already a Life Member of the Demons at the time, entered politics – the same year in which he won his fifth premiership with the Demons – and served as the Australian Liberal Member for the now defunct seat of St Kilda for over 17 years. During his term, Dixon served in the ministry under several portfolios such as Sport and Recreation and Housing, among others and even unveiled such reputable organisations as Bicycle Victoria and the Life. Be In It. program.

Subsequent to his political defeat in 1982, Dixon has predominantly worked in sports and health administrations, while offering his voluntary services at public-speaking tutorials. Dixon now operates under the umbrella of TAFISA. As a globally-respected volunteer and Treasurer of the international health organisation, Dixon has made dramatic inroads into the ideology of healthy living for all; especially in developing countries in Africa and Asia where he has introduced Australian rules football to communities as a way of promoting TAFISA’s ideals of engaging in an active lifestyle.

Brian Dixon’s Work with TAFISA

Dixon has been working at grassroots level with TAFISA promoting the game in South Africa and indeed in other parts of Africa, Asia and Oceania. As an example, in early 2010, Dixon travelled to Tanzania to work with young people and ran several AFL clinics to not only promote the game of Australian Rules Football, but to underline the importance of TAFISA’s philosophy, which supported the value of allowing everyone the opportunity to participate in sport together.

Further to this, Dixon ventured to the US territory of Guam in late April 2010 and voluntarily spoke at the Fitness and Sports Month throughout the USA launch, where he advocated a communiqué written by Guam’s Governor about suggested actions to develop a healthier country.