Tim Dixon ('87) - Word Power

Blooms grown in the Trinity “garden”  

Most Australians probably haven’t heard of Tim Dixon, but they would have heard his words spoken by prime ministers.  

Most Trinity students may not know him, either, but scores every year pour over what he has written.  

The Class of ’87 Trinitarian penned Kevin Rudd’s 2008 “Sorry” speech formally apologising to indigenous Australians, particularly the Stolen Generations.  

He also wrote Australia’s best-selling economics text book, now celebrating its 25th year of publication, which has become a staple for HSC students.  

Politics, economics, and education are just a few of his key interests, and he attributes his ability to make a mark in many diverse fields to his curiosity as well as his eclectic education at Summer Hill. 

“Trinity gave me the opportunity to flourish, and to try many different things, and I came out with a ton of positive experiences,” he told Trinity News.  

Without referencing the School’s “growing good men” mantra, he said: “Trinity was like a garden where you could plant many things and grow. It was an environment of love and deep care for individuals.”  

His advice to today’s students is to have a crack at as many things as possible and to build connections with the staff.  

“I think the most important thing for me at Trinity was having strong adult relationships with teachers who encouraged me, took an interest in me, and gave me confidence about my abilities. They took me seriously, and teachers like Stuart Braga, Vic Branson and Jon Harris inspired me both for what they taught and how they taught and interacted with us as young men.  

“They were a diverse bunch of teachers. (Former Headmaster) Rod West had a larger-than-life personality, and he hired teachers with personality.

“The most important things I carried out (from school) were less about specific skills and knowledge and more about character – relationships, trust, and feeling valued.  

“I remained in contact with many teachers for a long time, and still am.  

“Ian Moore (former Head of Economics) said to me in the playground one day, ‘You know, Tim, you have the potential to come first in the state in Economics’.  

“I never thought that I had that potential. I would have considered myself lucky if I came first in my class. That kind of encouragement and inspiration was very important.”  

Mr Moore’s words were prophetic, as his student did indeed top the state.  

Tim went on to study Economics at Sydney University and Law at UNSW.  

His entrepreneurial streak surfaced quickly, and he started a business in education publishing.  

He was interested in the nuts and bolts of achievement, asking himself: “How does a student master study and exam technique? How does the exam system work?”  

“A lot of students knew a lot more than I did; I was fascinated in understanding the exam and assessment system. I wanted to understand why did all these students who were brighter than me not get as many marks – and pass on those lessons to the next generation.” 

His business helped many other students to perform strongly in the HSC.    

After university he practised as a lawyer in the tech sector with Baker & McKenzie, and went to the U.S. His interest in politics soon had him working in early online campaigning around the 2004 presidential campaign.  

Even though an outsider, his intuitive feel and fresh perspectives made him part of a team that raised $US3 million and helped “move the needle with undecided voters more than the major ads for the Democrats; we ran some very effective ads in battleground states”.  

“It was a bit like my experience at Trinity; it gave me the confidence to believe that even a bunch of outsider Australians could maybe make an impact in the very competitive environment of American political campaigns.”  

After returning to Australia, he worked for a succession of Labor leaders – as an economics adviser to Kim Beazley in opposition, and as chief speechwriter for Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard in government.  

He now lives in the UK, where he co-founded More In Common, an organisation with over 50 staff in seven countries that is dedicated to building “stronger democratic societies that are resilient to the threats of populism and division”.   

He has advised CEOs, philanthropists, activists, and organisations on strategies to engage new audiences and achieve positive change, and has co-founded several non-profits and businesses overseas.   

More In Common was founded in the aftermath of the murder of British MP Jo Cox in 2016, taking its name from her maiden speech in which she said: “We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.”  

The organisation carries out public opinion research and reports, and works with leaders on both sides of politics helping them to navigate polarised issues.  

Dixon said Trinity provided many opportunities for growth, exploration, and academic stimulation.  

“Of course, there were some significant failings in that era that later came to light, but my experience at Trinity was remarkably positive; I saw it as a strong community that encouraged every student to flourish, no matter their background. The care for all individuals that I saw all around me influenced me more than I understood at the time.  

“I have always believed that in our short lives it’s good to learn different skills and experience different jobs. Wisdom comes from joining the dots between different areas of knowledge, insights and experiences, and applying that to develop new solutions and solve problems.  

“I would say my Trinity education was always a broadening experience. And it’s been terrific renewing my connection with the school and seeing how under Tim Bowden’s outstanding leadership, Trinity is doing the same for a new generation.”  

He said the single best thing he did at school was debating (he was Captain of Debating) because “it forces you to think on your feet and string an argument together coherently, with a beginning, middle, and end”.  

“It’s an extremely transportable skill and obviously very important in politics, business and education.”  

As a younger student he initially didn’t like the “religiosity” of Trinity and had to be “dragged” to chapel.  

But this changed in his middle school years when he became a Christian, and he was even asked to preach in chapel in Year 10.  

But his school years were not unblemished. He was suspended briefly as a prefect over a mock speech he gave at a regular afternoon tea meeting of prefects from several schools; someone from another school reported him and Trinity interpreted it as a “serious act of rebellion”.  

It was intended as a parody and a bit of “skylarking”, though he reflects that his immaturity and egotism were at work as well.  

“One of the strengths of Trinity’s culture was to be able to call that out but also to see a bigger picture and give students a second chance.   

“In today’s world of divisiveness, cancel culture and instant judgments in social media, we need to be reminded that we’re all better than our worst moments, and we constantly fall short of our best. We’re all in need of grace. It’s powerful when schools like Trinity can model that with today’s rising generation, as it did for mine.”  

He advises today’s Trinity students to “take the initiative, seize the incredible opportunities that Trinity offers, and try different things to find out what really fills you up and makes a positive contribution to other peoples’ lives”.  

“Try drama, try sport, try things that interest you, to learn more about yourself and what you are good at. Even propose new things.  

“Don’t be afraid to engage and talk to teachers because they are interested and you might actually form friendships that you will still have in 20 or 30 years’ time. I think that mattered a lot to me – not just the friendships with other students, but also the interaction with grown-ups who were interested.  

“I found the educational experiences vastly better at school than at university. Maybe Trinity spoils you in that way.”  

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers, a former work colleague, was guest speaker at an event marking the 25th anniversary of his two economics textbooks, Australia In The Global Economy and The Market Economy, co-authored with John O’Mahony, a partner at Deloitte Access Economics.  

Dr Chalmers said he was “really proud” of his “very good friend”.  

He described the authors as “exceptional educators” who had made a reputedly dull, dry subject “accessible, relatable, meaningful and even fun”.  

A spokesman for publisher Pearson Economics said the authors had made the subject more engaging for students by providing real world examples, adding: “It takes serious passion and dedication to write a book. To write 25 updates is next level.”   

The event was attended by some 300 HSC students and teachers, including Trinity’s current Head of Economics Kai Ikeuchi and four Year 12 students, as well as former Head Ian Moore.  

This article originally appeared in our December 2024 Edition of Trinity News which you can view on our online digital bookshelf.