He has served on numerous advisory panels in a variety of policy areas related to public health, health services, and medical education, and has taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses related to public health, health systems, and health services management.

Peter is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Health Sciences at the University of Otago. He is a specialist in public health medicine. His research is focused on social indicators and social epidemiology, health care policy, and health care organisation and funding.