Before entering Parliament, Cox co-hosted The Saturday Night Show on TNT-9 with Graeme Goodings[1] and was a radio announcer in northern Tasmania.
[2] Cox won Logie Awards for most popular male on Tasmanian television in 1979[3] and 1981.
He defeated Labor incumbent Gill James and was seated in the House of Assembly.
[5] In 1989, Tasmanian media magnate Edmund Rouse, chairman of forestry enterprise Gunns, attempted to bribe Cox with $110,000 to cross the floor of parliament in an attempt to prevent Labor forming government in alliance with the five Green Independents, and attempting to secure the return of the pro-logging Liberal Party government of Robin Gray.
[2][6] Cox reported the bribery attempt to police, and ultimately Rouse served 18 months in jail.