Sir Phillip Lynch | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lynch in 1974 | |
| Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party | |
| In office 20 December 1972 – 8 April 1982 | |
| Leader | Billy Snedden Malcolm Fraser |
| Preceded by | Billy Snedden |
| Succeeded by | John Howard |
| Treasurer of Australia | |
| In office 11 November 1975 – 19 November 1977 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Fraser |
| Preceded by | Bill Hayden |
| Succeeded by | John Howard |
| Minister for Industry and Commerce | |
| In office 20 December 1977 – 11 October 1982 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Fraser |
| Preceded by | Bob Cotton |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Peacock |
| Minister for Finance | |
| In office 7 December 1976 – 19 November 1977 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Fraser |
| Preceded by | Position Established |
| Succeeded by | Eric Robinson |
| Minister for Labour and National Service | |
| In office 22 March 1971 – 5 December 1972 | |
| Prime Minister | William McMahon |
| Preceded by | Billy Snedden |
| Succeeded by | Lance Barnard |
| Minister for Immigration | |
| In office 12 November 1969 – 22 March 1971 | |
| Prime Minister | John Gorton William McMahon |
| Preceded by | Billy Snedden |
| Succeeded by | Jim Forbes |
| Minister for the Army | |
| In office 28 February 1968 – 12 November 1969 | |
| Prime Minister | John Gorton |
| Preceded by | Malcolm Fraser |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Peacock |
| Member of theAustralian Parliament forFlinders | |
| In office 26 November 1966 – 22 October 1982 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Lindsay |
| Succeeded by | Peter Reith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1933-07-27)27 July 1933 |
| Died | 19 June 1984(1984-06-19) (aged 50) |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse | |
Sir Phillip Reginald LynchKCMG (27 July 1933 – 19 June 1984) was an Australian politician who served in theHouse of Representatives from 1966 to 1982. He was deputy leader of theLiberal Party from 1972 to 1982, and served as a government minister under three prime ministers.
Lynch was born inMelbourne and worked as a school teacher and management consultant before entering politics. He was elected to parliament at the1966 federal election. Lynch was appointed to cabinet at the age of 34, and served asMinister for the Army (1968–1969),Minister for Immigration (1969–1971), andMinister for Labour and National Service (1971–1972) underJohn Gorton andWilliam McMahon. He was elected deputy leader of the Liberal Party in 1972, serving first underBilly Snedden and later underMalcolm Fraser. Lynch becameTreasurer when the Liberals returned to power in 1975, but had to resign after evidence at a judicial inquiry in Victoria by SirGregory Gowans linked him to land speculation in Victoria.[1] He was thenMinister for Industry and Commerce until his retirement due to ill health in 1982. He died of cancer a few years later, aged 50. He was buried at Frankston Cemetery in Melbourne, Victoria.[2]
Lynch was born inCarlton, Melbourne, Victoria, the oldest child of Dorothy Louise (née Reilly) and Reginald Thomas Lynch. His father was afitter. Lynch grew up in the suburb ofKew and attended Catholic schools, initially aMarist Brothers school inHawthorn and thenXavier College. He went on to study at theUniversity of Melbourne, graduating with aBachelor of Arts in 1955 and a diploma in education in 1964. He was active in student politics, and campaigned against theWhite Australia policy. After graduating, Lynch worked as a schoolteacher for about a year, mostly at Collingwood Technical School. He then joined Manpower (Australia) Pty Ltd, a management consulting firm of which he eventually became managing director. He married Leah Brigid O'Toole in 1958, with whom he had three sons.[3]
Lynch joined the Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1959; he became the Melbourne vice-president (1962) and president (1963), and then national president (1964).[4]
He has a foundation member of the FrankstonRostrum Club 41 in 1967 and was a sought after speaker at their events.[5]
As a university student, Lynch considered joining theAustralian Labor Party, but was alienated by the party's left wing. His decision to join the Liberal Party was unusual for someone from a working-class Catholic background, and throughout his career he was one of the party's few Catholic MPs. Lynch first stood for parliament at the1955 federal election, aged 22, running in the safe Labor seat ofScullin. He was state president of theYoung Liberals from 1956 to 1958, and served on the party's state executive from 1956 to 1963. Lynch was eventually elected to theHouse of Representatives at the1966 election. He won Liberal preselection for theDivision of Flinders against a large field of other candidates.[3]
Between 1968 and 1972, Lynch served variously asMinister for the Army,Minister for Immigration, andMinister for Labour and National Service, underPrime MinistersJohn Gorton andWilliam McMahon. In opposition from 1972 to 1975, he wasDeputy Leader of the Liberal Party. He was also theDeputy Leader of the Opposition as then Liberal leaderBilly Snedden had refused to give the title to theCountry PartyleaderDoug Anthony. After his party won back government in 1975, Lynch continued as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party until his retirement in 1982.
Opposed to the “white Australia policy” and Australia's restrictive immigration regime, as minister for immigration in 1970 he toured Europe in a successful drive to recruit workers for Australia's underpopulated workforce, meeting with the leaders of several nations and Pope Paul VI. A conciliating presence between opposing factions both within and outside his party, he was also partly responsible for exposing the Khemlaniloans affair that, although Lynch was not actively involved, was to contribute to the dismissal of the Whitlam government and election of Malcolm Fraser as prime minister in 1975.
Malcolm Fraser appointed Lynchtreasurer in 1975. When the Treasury portfolio was split into Treasury andFinance in December 1976, Lynch held both portfolios. He is noted for using the expression "rubbery" to describe some of the estimates in his 1977 Budget Speech, leading to the use of the expression "rubbery figures" in Australian political debate.[6] He was forced to resign from the ministry on 19 November 1977 when it became known that he was using a family trust to minimise his tax obligations, which was perceived as aconflict of interest. He was replaced as treasurer byJohn Howard and as minister for finance byEric Robinson. An official inquiry found that he had done nothing illegal or improper, and he returned to the ministry in December, asminister for industry and commerce after facing a challenge for the deputy leadership fromDefence MinisterJames Killen, which he defeated by 71 votes to 20.[7][8]
After the1980 election, Fraser formed the Committee of Review of Government Functions, popularly known as the "Razor Gang", which Lynch chaired.[9]
He was also challenged again for the deputy leadership this time byMinister for Foreign AffairsAndrew Peacock, who he defeated by 47 votes to 35.[10]
Lynch was named aKnight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the1981 New Year Honours.[11] He was also made aPrivy Councillor in 1977, allowing him to use the pre-nominal letters The Right Honourable. He resigned his parliamentary seat on the grounds of ill-health in 1982, and died of stomach cancer in 1984. Sir Phillip's wife, Leah O'Toole, had been aboarder atSt Ann's Ladies' College, Warrnambool and later worked as anoccupational therapist and as company secretary and director of Denistoun Pty Ltd.[12][3] Sir Phillip and Lady Lynch had three sons. Lady Lynch, known for her charity work, died in 2007.[13][14][15]
{{cite book}}:|website= ignored (help)LYNCH Lady Leah , born Feb 1st, 1935 ... Company Secretary and Director of Denistoun Pty Ltd., edu, St. Anne's Ladies' College; College of Occupational Therapy, Melbourne University [St. Mary's Hall]
| Parliament of Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member for Flinders 1966–1982 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister for the Army 1968–1969 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Immigration 1969–1971 | Succeeded by |
| Minister for Labour and National Service 1971–1972 | Succeeded by | |
| Preceded by | Treasurer of Australia 1975–1977 | Succeeded by |
| New office | Minister for Finance 1976–1977 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Industry and Commerce 1977–1982 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia 1972–1982 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
