Phillip Lynch
Encyclopedia
Sir Phillip Reginald Lynch KCMG
(27 July 1933 – 19 June 1984) was an Australian Liberal
politician.
Lynch held the House of Representatives
seat of Flinders
from 1966 to 1982. Between 1968 and 1972, he served variously as Minister for the Army
, Minister for Immigration
, and Minister for Labour and National Service
, under Prime Ministers
John Gorton
and William McMahon
. In opposition from 1972 to 1975, he was Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. He was also the Deputy Leader of the Opposition as then Liberal leader Billy Snedden
had refused to give the title to the Country Party leader Doug Anthony. After his party won back government in 1975, Lynch continued as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party until his retirement in 1982.
Malcolm Fraser
appointed Lynch Treasurer
in 1975. When the Treasury portfolio was split into Treasury and Finance
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. 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 a conflict of interests. He was replaced as Treasurer by John Howard
and as Minister for Finance by Eric Robinson
. An official inquiry found that he had done nothing illegal or improper, and he returned to the ministry in December, as Minister for Industry and Commerce.
After the 1980 election
, Fraser formed the Committee of Review of Government Functions, popularly known as the "Razor Gang
", which Lynch chaired.
Lynch was named a Knight of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in the New Year's Day Honours of 1981. He was also made a Privy 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, survived by his wife, Leah and three sons.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(27 July 1933 – 19 June 1984) was an Australian Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
politician.
Lynch held the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat of Flinders
Division of Flinders
The Division of Flinders is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
from 1966 to 1982. Between 1968 and 1972, he served variously as Minister for the Army
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
, Minister for Immigration
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (Australia)
In the Government of Australia, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship is responsible for overseeing the Department of Immigration and Citizenship....
, and Minister for Labour and National Service
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations is currently the Hon Senator Chris Evans.The Minister administers this portfolio, through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations....
, under Prime Ministers
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
John Gorton
John Gorton
Sir John Grey Gorton, GCMG, AC, CH , Australian politician, was the 19th Prime Minister of Australia.-Early life:...
and William McMahon
William McMahon
Sir William "Billy" McMahon, GCMG, CH , was an Australian Liberal politician and the 20th Prime Minister of Australia...
. In opposition from 1972 to 1975, he was Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. He was also the Deputy Leader of the Opposition as then Liberal leader Billy Snedden
Billy Snedden
Sir Billy Mackie Snedden, KCMG, QC was an Australian politician representing the Liberal Party. He was Leader of the Opposition at the 1974 federal election, failing to defeat the Labor incumbent Gough Whitlam.-Early life:...
had refused to give the title to the Country Party leader Doug Anthony. After his party won back government in 1975, Lynch continued as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party until his retirement in 1982.
Malcolm Fraser
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
appointed Lynch Treasurer
Treasurer of Australia
The Treasurer of Australia is the minister in the Government of Australia responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. He is the head of the Department of the Treasury. The Treasurer plays a key role in the economic policy of the government...
in 1975. When the Treasury portfolio was split into Treasury and Finance
Minister for Finance and Administration (Australia)
In the Australian political system, the Minister for Finance and Deregulation supplements the role of the Treasurer, being responsible for areas such as budget policy advice, reviewing governmental programs, tendering and government financial accountability. The portfolio was first created in 1976...
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. 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 a conflict of interests. He was replaced as Treasurer by John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
and as Minister for Finance by Eric Robinson
Eric Robinson (Australian politician)
Eric Laidlaw Robinson was an Australian politician.Robinson took over his family's sporting goods business and built it up from a single store into a chain along the Queensland coast. He was president of the Queensland branch of the Liberal Party in from 1968 to 1973. He was elected to the...
. An official inquiry found that he had done nothing illegal or improper, and he returned to the ministry in December, as Minister for Industry and Commerce.
After the 1980 election
Australian federal election, 1980
Federal elections were held in Australia on 18 October 1980. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives, and 34 of the 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Malcolm Fraser with coalition partner the National Country Party led by Doug...
, Fraser formed the Committee of Review of Government Functions, popularly known as the "Razor Gang
Razor gang
Razor gangs were criminal gangs that dominated the Sydney crime scene in the 1920s. With the passage of the Pistol Licensing Act 1927, the New South Wales State Parliament imposed severe penalties for carrying concealed firearms and handguns...
", which Lynch chaired.
Lynch was named a Knight of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in the New Year's Day Honours of 1981. He was also made a Privy 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, survived by his wife, Leah and three sons.