Reg Withers
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The Right Honourable Reg Withers |
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Withers in 1991 as Lord Mayor of Perth
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| Senator for Western Australia | |
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In office 1 July 1968 – 6 June 1987 |
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In office 17 February 1966 – 25 November 1966 |
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| Preceded by | Sir Shane Paltridge |
| Lord Mayor of Perth | |
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In office 1991–1994 |
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| Preceded by | Chas Hopkins |
| Succeeded by | Peter Nattrass |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Reginald Greive Withers 26 October 1924 Bunbury, Western Australia |
| Died |
15 November 2014 (aged 90) Perth, Western Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Alma mater | University of Western Australia |
| Profession | Solicitor, barrister |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/branch | Royal Australian Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1946 |
| Unit | HMAS Leeuwin |
Reginald Greive "Reg" Withers (26 October 1924 – 15 November 2014) was a long-serving member of the Australian Senate, a government minister, and Lord Mayor of Perth.
Withers was born in Bunbury, Western Australia. Withers was the son of Frederick Withers, a former Labor member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. Withers was educated at Perth Technical College. Withers served in the Royal Australian Navy from 1942 until 1946 before returning to Australia to study law at the University of Western Australia under the ex-servicemen's scheme. While at university, Withers opposed what he saw as the authoritarian stance of the Chifley Labor government and joined the Liberal Party of Australia.
Returning to Bunbury to practise law, first as a solicitor and, from 1953, a barrister, Withers was elected to Bunbury Municipal Council and began to involve himself in Liberal Party affairs, serving at various times as Liberal Party State President and Vice-President and Federal Vice-President.
Withers entered the Senate on 17 February 1966 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Sir Shane Paltridge, but lost his seat later that year, before returning to the Senate in 1968.
Described as having a "jovial manner and perpetual grin", Withers quickly gained a reputation as the Liberal numbers man and served as Senate Government Whip from 1969–71. After the defeat of the McMahon government in 1972, Withers became Opposition Leader in the Senate, where he retained a thin majority and acted to block much of the Whitlam Government's legislation. Withers was widely known as "The Toecutter" for his alleged approach to enforcing party loyalty and his role in the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.
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