Nott was born at Gulgong, New South Wales and was the son of a farmer. Leo Nott, Gulgong Shire President and member of the Legislative Assembly for Mudgee and Burrendong, was his brother. He was educated to elementary level at Gulgong Public School and initially worked as a shearer and farm hand. He later became a wheat farmer at Dunedoo.[1]
Political career
Nott was elected to the parliament as the Labor member for Liverpool Plains at the 1941 state election.[2] He replaced the Country Party member Harry Carter and defeated the Country Party candidate Alfred Yeo who had been the member for Castlereagh. Liverpool Plains was one of a number of rural seats that Labor won at the 1941 election and these victories contributed to the formation of the Labor government of William McKell.[1]
Nott retained his seat in parliament at a further six elections,[2] but resigned in 1961 to accept an appointment from the Federal government as the Administrator of the Northern Territory.[3][4][5] It is uncertain why the Liberal/Country coalition government of Robert Menzies offered the position to a Labor minister. Accepting the position required Nott to resign from parliament, and the Country Party's Frank O'Keefe, who had been an unsuccessful candidate at four previous elections, won the resulting by-election.[6]