Phillip Lynch

The Right Honourable Sir Phillip Lynch KCMG
Member of the Australian Parliament for Flinders
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
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia
Spouse(s)	Leah
Religion	Roman Catholic

For the Irish businessman, see Philip Lynch.

Sir Phillip Reginald Lynch KCMG (27 July 1933 – 19 June 1984) was a Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia.

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 interest. 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. Sir Phillip and Lady Lynch (née Leah O'Toole) had three sons. Lady Lynch died in 2007.

I do not think that those of us who are paying tribute to Sir Phillip Lynch would mark him out as a man of extraordinary intellectual brilliance. He was not. But he was a man who developed the capacities he had within him by sheer unremitting work. He never gave up. He had that quality that the Germans call Sitzfleisch. He could outsit anybody else. He was very valuable in committee work. When people were fainting in coils, Sir Phillip Lynch was writing the minutes.

— Barry Jones

References

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/christopher-pearson-catholics-flock-to-cabinet/story-e6frg6zo-1111112933527

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Robert Lindsay	Member for Flinders 1966 – 1982	Succeeded by Peter Reith
Political offices
Preceded by Malcolm Fraser	Minister for the Army 1968 – 1969	Succeeded by Andrew Peacock
Preceded by Billy Snedden	Minister for Immigration 1969 – 1971	Succeeded by Jim Forbes
	Minister for Labour and National Service 1971 – 1972	Succeeded by Clyde Cameron
Preceded by Bill Hayden	Treasurer of Australia 1975 – 1977	Succeeded by John Howard
New office	Minister for Finance 1976 – 1977	Succeeded by Eric Robinson
Preceded by Bob Cotton	Minister for Industry and Commerce 1977 – 1982	Succeeded by Andrew Peacock
Party political offices
Preceded by Billy Snedden	Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia 1972 – 1982	Succeeded by John Howard