Dutton was a member of the
Queensland Legislative Assembly for
Leichhardt from 23 August 1883 to 5 May 1888 and Secretary for Lands from 13 November 1883 to 30 August 1887; Secretary for Works and Mines from the latter date till 12 December 1887; and from that date till 13 June 1888 Secretary for Railways in the
First Griffith Ministry. At the general election in 1888, Dutton was an unsuccessful candidate for the Leichhardt district. Dutton, who embraced
Henry George's land nationalisation theories, and endeavoured as Secretary for Lands to give some approximate effect to them in legislation, then became a squatter in
New South Wales. ==Later life==