While he was in Parliament, he was Liberal Party spokesman on housing and pensions and he served as a Member of the Select committee on Race Relations and used this platform to warn Enoch Powell he would not be able to make immigration an election issue, saying the electorate had more immediate and pressing issues to worry them such as the cost of living. Despite this stance, Lawler's reputation inside the Liberal Party locally and nationally was somewhat tarnished by his views on Commonwealth immigration.
While he was in Parliament, he served as a Liberal Party representative on housing and pensions and participated in the Select committee on Race Relations, using his platform to caution Enoch Powell that immigration would not be a viable election issue, emphasizing instead the pressing concerns of the electorate, such as rising living costs. However, Lawler's reputation within the Liberal Party was somewhat marred by his views on Commonwealth immigration.