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Anthony John Lawler (born 18 October 1961) is an Australian politician. He was a National Party of Australia member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1998 to 2001, representing the electorate of Parkes. A pharmacist outside of politics, he retired after one term due to the impact of having to frequently be away from home on his young family.

Early life and career

Lawler was born in Dubbo, New South Wales and educated at St John's Primary School and the University of Sydney before returning to Dubbo to work as a pharmacist in his family's pharmacy.

Political career

In early 1998, Lawler joined the National Party after " a dinner party where everyone was complaining about how the country should be run" and, on the way home, deciding to "do something about it". He spoke with the party about contesting preselection for a state seat, but weeks later a vacancy came up for the National-held federal seat of Parkes at the forthcoming 1998 federal election, when MP Michael Cobb was charged with misusing of travel entitlements. Lawler nominated in what he viewed as a "dry run", and unexpectedly won National preselection for Parkes. Lawler won the seat at the October 1998 election with 54.1% of the two-party preferred vote.

In April 1999, Lawler advocated for improved compensation for disadvantaged people as part of the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax, breaking with the stance of his party. In July 1999, he supported Ian Causley against John Anderson for the National Party leadership, part of divisions reportedly over dissatisfaction with the direction of the federal Australia on economic rationalism and globalisation. Along with most other National Party MPs, he supported a "no" vote in the 1999 republic referendum Lawler opposed the full privatisation of Telstra, and was one of several dissident MPs to reject offers from Telstra of luxury Olympic ticket packages lest it be seen to compromise their position. He later supported a plan by former leader Tim Fischer considering the possibility of selling it to fund infrastructure increases in the future if service benchmarks were met first.

Lawler argued for temporarily suspending fuel excise rises and then reforming the excise itself, and defended ABC Local Radio against possible budget cuts on the basis of its significance to his region. He repeatedly advocated for measures to address the impact of the drought on regional communities, and was outspoken about the urgent need to improve rural roads and infrastructure. In advance of the 2001 election, he ruled out doing a preference deal with One Nation in Parkes and resolved to preference them last, arguing that they did not have the right solutions for Australia.

On 28 February 2001, Lawler announced his pending retirement from politics after only one term, citing the amount of time spent away from his family and the impact on their lives. In his last months in parliament, he took a more moderate position on refugees during the Tampa affair than his party, called for "calm and sympathy" following the September 11 attacks, expressed neutrality over whether the National Party should leave the Coalition and declared that he was "far more open-minded now" in relation to drug policy after sitting on a year-long parliamentary committee investigation of the issue. He also engaged in a months-long dispute with independent MP Peter Andren over whether an MRI machine should be assigned to Dubbo or Orange, in which Andren emerged successful.

Lawler recounted having been in a motel in Bourke while listening to his son read homework down the phone as having made him reconsider his political career. He cited highlights of his parliamentary career as being the establishment of a rural clinical school in Dubbo and gaining mobile phone coverage for Condobolin. His retirement was met with significant praise for his performance: the Cobar Age described Lawler as "much liked and modest", the Dubbo-based Daily Liberal described him as a "hard-working, dedicated and popular MP", his would-be Labor opponent said Lawler "put what was best for the community first and politics second", while he was also praised by the mayors of Cobar and Dubbo. He made his last speech in September 2001, stating "this job does take a toll on family life, and people pay a price. Unfortunately it is not a price that I am prepared to pay" and that "I estimate that my wife spends about two-thirds of the year as a single mum". He described a lack of progress on social and health problems in the Aboriginal community as one of his regrets.

Post-parliament

Lawler returned to his pharmacy business, "Lawlers Family Pharmacies" (later "Lawlers Max Value Pharmacy") after his retirement. He also remained involved in local community organisations, serving as Dubbo committee chairman of Relay for Life and chairing a short-lived organisation to promote local business, Dubbo Retail Zooming. He briefly emerged from political retirement in 2003 to campaign against independent state MP Tony McGrane, arguing that independents could "not effect real change". He later served as a board member of the NSW Pharmacy Guild. In 2019, he was semi-retired, living in a village on the Central Coast while still working part-time in his pharmacy.

Personal life

He was married to Ellen, a special education teacher, who died suddenly in 2012. They had four children.

References

1. "Mr Tony Lawlor MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
2. "Peter Lawler dead at age 72". Daily Liberal. 11 May 2006.
3. "Retirement life's next lesson". Daily Liberal. 31 October 2004.
4. "MP overpowered by paternal instincts". The Australian. 1 September 2001.
5. "Mayor blasts Nats over preselection". The Sun-Herald. 19 April 1998.
6. "Fischer won't give Hanson 'oxygen' with debate". Sydney Morning Herald. 3 September 1998.
7. "AUSTRALIAN LEGISLATIVE ELECTION OF 3 OCTOBER 1998". Psephos. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
8. "Tax avoidance rules loosen up". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 April 1999.
9. "Harradine lays it on the line; Crucial vote hangs on help - for the poor". The Advertiser. 22 April 1999.
10. "Nationals' six-pack spoils the party - John Anderson needs a big win to keep his troops happy". The Australian. 5 July 1999.
11. "No to a republic from State Coalition MPs". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 August 1999.
12. "Telstra 'not out to buy MPs' votes'". Illawarra Mercury. 24 August 2000.
13. "River runs through Telstra sale critics". The Australian. 21 December 1999.
14. "Dubbo's ABC radio service here to stay". Daily Liberal. 30 October 2000.
15. "MP supports delay of excise rise". Daily Liberal. 24 August 2000.
16. "Excise cut is no big deal, admits Lawler". Daily Liberal. 1 March 2001.
17. "Enormous stress on farm families: wife". Daily Liberal. 29 November 2000.
18. "Worst crisis in a century". Daily Liberal. 22 November 2000.
19. "'Frantic' farmers at breaking point". Daily Liberal. 21 November 2000.
20. "Costello Urged To Spend Windfall On Poor". The Canberra Times. 17 November 2000.
21. "Extra funds just the start: Lawler". Daily Liberal. 13 November 2000.
22. "One Nation deal canned". Daily Liberal. 21 February 2001.
23. "Lawler to quit after a term". Daily Liberal. 1 March 2001.
24. "Family strain forces National MP to quit after one term". The Australian. 2 March 2001.
25. "New member focuses on local concerns". Cobar Age. 20 February 2002.
26. "Mayor's message of support". Daily Liberal. 12 September 2001.
27. "Drug committee MPs urge an open-minded approach". The Australian. 9 August 2001.
28. "Fight to get MRI in Dubbo". Daily Liberal. 19 September 2001.
29. "MP says health facts withheld". Daily Liberal. 4 September 2001.
30. "Radiology battle". Daily Liberal. 5 July 2001.
31. "Nats hedge their bets". Daily Liberal. 11 June 2001.
32. "Nationals must heed the advice". Daily Liberal. 12 June 2001.
33. "Lawler to quit after a term". Daily Liberal. 1 March 2001.
34. "Family strain forces National MP to quit after one term". The Australian. 2 March 2001.
35. "Homework By Phone Seals MP's Decision To Quit". The Canberra Times. 3 March 2001.
36. "Lawler to quit: Federal MP puts family before parliament". Cobar Age. 8 March 2001.
37. "hard-working, dedicated and popular MP". Daily Liberal. 4 June 2001.
38. "Lawler says farewell to parliament". Daily Liberal. 30 September 2001.
39. "DIY drug kits available soon". Daily Liberal. 12 June 2006.
40. "Attracting professionals critical to city's future". Daily Liberal. 24 March 2010.
41. "New retail group plans to promote local businesses". Daily Liberal. 27 August 2003.
42. "Relaying message of support". Daily Liberal. 18 September 2002.
43. "Disbanded marketing group to break even". Daily Liberal. 19 August 2004.
44. "MP cannot bring 'real change'". Daily Liberal. 20 March 2003.
45. "Dubbo pharmacist to assist in government advisory". Daily Liberal. 28 March 2013.
46. "Former MP finds the right work-life balance". Dubbo Photo News. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
47. "THE family of Ellen Lawler has thanked emergency". Daily Liberal. 22 March 2020.

• National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Parkes
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives
• 1961 births
• Living people
• 21st-century Australian politicians
• 20th-century Australian politicians
• University of Sydney alumni