He was a Liberal Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council between 1999 and 2022, representing the Eumemmerring Province (1999–2006) and the South Eastern Metropolitan Region (2006–2022).

[2] He was elected Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Council in December 2014.

He worked in economic research and analysis before entering politics, and was aviation manager for the Department of State Development at the time of his election.

[4] In 2014, Rich-Phillips was criticised when as Aviation Industry Minister he oversaw the awarding of a $1m grant to the privately owned Peninsula Aero Club, where he stored his plane and was an active member.

[5][6] On 17 June 2022, Rich-Phillips announced that he would not be recontesting his seat at the 2022 Victorian state election.