He was a member of the Liberal Party and held ministerial office in the Fraser government, serving as Minister for the Capital Territory (1975–1976), Post and Telecommunications (1976–1977), and Finance (1977–1979, 1979–1980).

Prior to entering politics he served as managing director and chairman of Robinson Holdings Pty Ltd, overseeing "a chain of stores in coastal Queensland".

[1] Robinson joined the Queensland Liberal Party in 1957 and in 1963 was a founding member of the Surfers Paradise branch.

Allegations of malpractice by him were dealt with in the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Matters in Relation to Electoral Redistribution in Queensland 1977, which exonerated him of wrongdoing.

[3] On 22 February 1979, he resigned from the ministry, stating in a letter to Fraser that he could no longer give him his "unqualified support".