Paul Lynch (politician)

Paul Gerard Lynch, an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Liverpool for the Labor Party from 1995 until 2023.

Early career and background
Lynch graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and a LLB and was elected as a Councillor on Liverpool City Council in 1987 until his election to NSW Parliament in 1995. During this period he served as Deputy Mayor and served on the Western Suburbs Regional Organisation of Councils. Lynch originally ran for Labor Party preselection for Liverpool in 1989, but was defeated by Peter Anderson. A prominent member of the party's left-wing faction, Lynch gained his revenge on the right-wing Anderson when Anderson failed to cement support amongst his local party members and lost party pre-selection.

He is the brother in-law of former federal members of parliament Laurie Ferguson and Martin Ferguson.

Government
Elected to NSW Parliament in 1995, he was Temporary Chairman of Committees and Chair of the Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman and Police Integrity Commission. Lynch was re-elected on 24 March 2007 and was appointed Minister for Local Government, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Mental Health) in the Iemma ministry. With the appointment of Nathan Rees as premier, he became the Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability Services and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. In the Keneally ministry, Lynch retained the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio, and took on responsibility for Industrial Relations, Commerce, Energy, and Public Sector Reform.

Opposition
Following the Labor's loss at the 2011 state election, Lynch was appointed to the John Robertson shadow ministry as Shadow Attorney General and Shadow Minister for Justice. He retained these positions in the shadow Ministry of Luke Foley. After the 2015 New South Wales state election, Lynch retained his position as Shadow Attorney General but was succeeded as Shadow Minister for Justice by Jodi McKay. He continued to retain this position in the Shadow ministries of Michael Daley and Jodi McKay but was not appointed to the Shadow Ministry of Chris Minns in 2021. He retired at the 2023 New South Wales state election less than two years later.