Gott commenced studies at the
University of Melbourne in 1941 joining the
Melbourne University Regiment on 6 December, the day of the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. He was given approval to return to his studies, and was later declared unfit for active service. He subsequently worked in a number of unskilled jobs, and casual work at the
Melbourne Herald newspaper, as well as research for trade unions. In 1950 he travelled overseas to
Prague, to head the
International Union of Students weekly news service. Gott left Czechoslovakia, and was expelled from the Communist Party, disillusioned by the 1956 Russian invasion of Hungary and
Khrushchev's revelations of Stalin's terror. However, he remained a political activist assisting the Communist Party press and undertaking research on behalf of the
Australian Labor Party and took a significant role in subverting the Communist efforts to manipulate the 1959 ANZ Peace Congress. In Australia, he worked as a journalist for
The West Australian and for the Sydney fortnightly newspaper
Nation. He was a foundation staff member of
The Australian newspaper, becoming features editor 1964–1965. He was a senior editor and research director for
Business International, travelling to New York, and later Hong Kong and Bangkok and appointed Asian editor of
Business Week, and then managing director of
Business Asia. Returning to Australia he took a role as senior adviser and personal assistant to
Sir Maurice Mawby of the mining company
Rio Tinto. He was a prodigious writer and kept extensive papers, which have been acquired by the State Library of Victoria. Other roles which Gott fulfilled at various times include: • Tasmanian District delegate, Federal Executive, Australian Journalists' Association • Australia-China Society Victorian Branch, 1953 committee member, 1956–1959 secretary • manager, Wallaby Recordings • managing director, shareholder and secretary, Pacific Merchandising Agency 1953–1954 • Australian Trade Research Service 1954– ==Personal life==