Les Bury

Leslie Harry Ernest Bury CMG (25 February 1913 – 7 September 1986) was an Australian politician and economist. He was a member of the Liberal Party and was a senior cabinet minister in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Bury was born in England and attended Queens' College, Cambridge. He moved to Australia in 1935 to work as an economist at the Bank of New South Wales, later joining the Department of the Treasury. Bury was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1956 Wentworth by-election. He held ministerial office in Coalition governments for nearly a decade, serving as Minister for Air (1961–1962), Housing (1963–1966), Labour and National Service (1966–1969), Treasurer (1969–1971) and Foreign Affairs (1971). He retired from politics at the 1974 election after losing preselection.

Early life Bury was born on 25 February 1913 in Willesden, London, England. He was the son of Doris Elma (née Walgrave) and Ernest Bury; his father was an Anglican clergyman. His lecturers at Cambridge included John Maynard Keynes and Joan Robinson, both of whom made a lasting impression.

Bury moved to Sydney in December 1935 to work in the economic department of the Bank of New South Wales.

Political career

Bury was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1956 Wentworth by-election, following the resignation of Eric Harrison to become High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. He defeated 15 other candidates for Liberal preselection.

According to Peter King, he "... would attend football matches with Labor leader Arthur Calwell in Melbourne and ... [shadow Treasurer] Frank Crean stayed at the Bury home in Sydney". In December 1963, he returned to cabinet as Minister for Housing. He introduced the First Home Owners Grant, which continues to be a feature of the Australian political landscape.

Gorton government

Bury remained Minister for Labour and National Service in the first Gorton ministry. With Phillip Lynch as Minister for the Army, a slogan chanted at anti-war protests was "lynch Bury and bury Lynch". After the 1969 federal election, Bury was promoted to treasurer, his most desired portfolio. His promotion was probably due to his support for Gorton in the 1969 leadership spill, which saw then-treasurer William McMahon challenge for the prime ministership. McMahon was shifted to foreign affairs and Bury took his place as treasurer. Gorton also reputedly viewed Bury as someone who was likely to be compliant and not challenge his own economic agenda.

Bury presented only a single budget as treasurer, for 1970–71. It was described as "very much a Treasury-inspired document", and also had significant input from Gorton. He was one of the pioneers of the forward estimates system, in March 1971 asking ministers to provide estimates of expenditure for future activities. He was an advocate of alternative measures of economic progress, stating "we must not fall too readily to exclusive worship at the altar of GNP [...] our prime concern should always be the social welfare of the community as a whole". He was also an early supporter of a broad-based national consumption tax, akin to the current GST.

There were concerns about Bury's health during his period as treasurer, with one source describing him as "a worn-out and a tired man, suffering from ill-health and lacking concentration". He suffered from coronary arteriosclerosis and hypertension. Bury's departmental secretary Dick Randall stated that, from Treasury's perspective, he "lost too many cabinet fights". He came into conflict with the more experienced figures of Gorton, McEwen, and McMahon who were not always in agreement with the departmental agenda. He opposed the creation of the Australian Industry Development Corporation, preferring the use of foreign capital, but was overridden by McEwen and Gorton.

McMahon government

William McMahon replaced Gorton as prime minister following the 1971 Liberal leadership spill. Bury briefly remained treasurer while McMahon assembled his new ministry, then on 22 March 1971 was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, the portfolio previously held by McMahon. In June 1971 he publicly denounced French nuclear testing in the South Pacific, stating they were "a matter of considerable regret to the government of Australia" and stated he supported a Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

Australian relations with China were a major aspect of Bury's period as foreign minister. In May 1971, he stated that Taiwan should be separately represented in the United Nations and that the Republic of China's claims to Mainland China were "somewhat fictional". After the announcement of Nixon's visit to China in July 1971, he reaffirmed the Australian government's long-standing policy of non-recognition of the People's Republic of China and stated that he would not visit Beijing, but suggested Australia might formalise relations with the PRC at a later point. His stance on China angered the anti-communist Democratic Labor Party.

Bury was abruptly removed from cabinet in a reshuffle on 2 August 1971. a response to rumours about health issues circulated by McMahon. Bury was publicly critical of the McMahon government in the immediate aftermath of his dismissal, stating that cabinet ministers had been "leaking like a sieve". He disapproved of the 1971–72 budget, stating that personal income tax rates were too high and were acting as a disincentive. He reiterated his calls for a broad-based retail turnover tax and also supported a national superannuation scheme.

Bury was re-elected at the 1972 election, which saw the defeat of the Coalition government. He was not included in the shadow ministry formed by new Liberal leader Billy Snedden and remained in parliament as a backbencher. He retired from parliament at the 1974 election.

Personal life In 1940, Bury married Anne Weigall, with whom he had four sons. He died on 7 September 1986 in Vaucluse, New South Wales.