Mr Fife was a former MP and minister in both the NSW and federal governments.

He was elected as the Member for Wagga at the age of just 28, following the death of the sitting Labor member Eddie Graham, in 1957.

Eelevated to the frontbench a decade later, Mr Fife served in in the mines, power, conservation and transport ministries before making a successful move into national politics in 1975.

Taking his seat in federal parliament as the member for Farrer, Mr Fife was initially the business and consumer affairs minister before moving to education and subsequently aviation, before the Fraser government was voted out 1983.

Mr Fife stayed in opposition for another decade, moving to the Hume electorate in 1984 due to a redistribution that took Wagga out of Farrer. He retired from politics in 1993.

Mr Fife and wife Marcia had two sons and two daughters.