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Graham Richardson

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Graham Richardson

Graham Frederick Richardson (27 September 1949 – 8 November 2025) was an Australian Labor Party politician who was a senator for New South Wales from 1983 to 1994 and served as a cabinet minister in both the Hawke and Keating governments. He was later a media commentator, public speaker and political lobbyist. During his time in the Senate, Richardson was often referred to as a "power broker" within the Labor Right faction. Prior to entering parliament, Richardson was a Labor Party branch organiser and was the general secretary of the New South Wales branch of the party from 1976 to 1983. After retiring from politics, Richardson became a political commentator for Sky News Australia. He had previously hosted the weekly commentary program Richo.

Infobox

Prime Minister
Bob HawkePaul Keating
Preceded by
Tony Mulvihill
Succeeded by
Michael Forshaw
Born
Graham Frederick Richardson(1949-09-27)27 September 1949Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died
8 November 2025(2025-11-08) (aged 76)Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party
Labor
Spouses
mw- Cheryl Gardener (m. 1973, divorced) Amanda (m. 2007)
Children
3
Nickname
Richo
Party
Labor

Tables

· External links
Preceded byTony Mulvihill
Preceded byTony Mulvihill
Parliament of Australia
Preceded byTony Mulvihill
Parliament of Australia
Senator for New South Wales 1983–1994
Parliament of Australia
Succeeded byMichael Forshaw
Political offices
Political offices
Parliament of Australia
Political offices
Preceded byBarry Cohenas Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Environment
Preceded byBarry Cohenas Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Environment
Parliament of Australia
Preceded byBarry Cohenas Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Environment
Parliament of Australia
Minister for the Environment and the Arts 1987–1988
Parliament of Australia
Succeeded byGary Punchas Minister for the Arts and Territories
Preceded byJohn Brown
Preceded byJohn Brown
Parliament of Australia
Preceded byJohn Brown
Parliament of Australia
Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories 1988–1990
Parliament of Australia
Succeeded byRos Kelly
Preceded byBrian Howe
Preceded byBrian Howe
Parliament of Australia
Preceded byBrian Howe
Parliament of Australia
Minister for Social Security 1990–1991
Parliament of Australia
Succeeded byNeal Blewett
Preceded byJohn Kerin
Preceded byJohn Kerin
Parliament of Australia
Preceded byJohn Kerin
Parliament of Australia
Minister for Transport and Communications 1991–1992
Parliament of Australia
Succeeded byBob Collins
Preceded byKim Beazley
Preceded byKim Beazley
Parliament of Australia
Preceded byKim Beazley
Parliament of Australia
Vice-President of the Executive Council 1991–1992
Parliament of Australia
Succeeded byRalph Willis
Preceded byBrian Howeas Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services
Preceded byBrian Howeas Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services
Parliament of Australia
Preceded byBrian Howeas Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services
Parliament of Australia
Minister for Health 1993–1994
Parliament of Australia
Succeeded byCarmen Lawrenceas Minister for Human Services and Health
Preceded byRos Kelly
Preceded byRos Kelly
Parliament of Australia
Preceded byRos Kelly
Parliament of Australia
Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories 1994
Parliament of Australia
Succeeded byJohn Faulkner
Party political offices
Party political offices
Parliament of Australia
Party political offices
Preceded byGeoff Cahill
Preceded byGeoff Cahill
Parliament of Australia
Preceded byGeoff Cahill
Parliament of Australia
General Secretary of the New South Wales Labor Party 1976–1983
Parliament of Australia
Succeeded byStephen Loosley
Notes and references
Notes and references
Parliament of Australia
Notes and references
1. Serving as the junior minister in the Outer Ministry. "50. Hawke Ministry (ALP) 24.7.1987 – 4.4.1990". Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia (PDF) (Report) (34th ed.). Parliament of Australia. 2017. p. 568. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 July 2017.
1. Serving as the junior minister in the Outer Ministry. "50. Hawke Ministry (ALP) 24.7.1987 – 4.4.1990". Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia (PDF) (Report) (34th ed.). Parliament of Australia. 2017. p. 568. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 July 2017.
Parliament of Australia
1. Serving as the junior minister in the Outer Ministry. "50. Hawke Ministry (ALP) 24.7.1987 – 4.4.1990". Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia (PDF) (Report) (34th ed.). Parliament of Australia. 2017. p. 568. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 July 2017.
Parliament of Australia
Preceded byTony Mulvihill
Senator for New South Wales 1983–1994
Succeeded byMichael Forshaw
Political offices
Preceded byBarry Cohenas Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Environment
Minister for the Environment and the Arts 1987–1988
Succeeded byGary Punchas Minister for the Arts and Territories
Preceded byJohn Brown
Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories 1988–1990
Succeeded byRos Kelly
Preceded byBrian Howe
Minister for Social Security 1990–1991
Succeeded byNeal Blewett
Preceded byJohn Kerin
Minister for Transport and Communications 1991–1992
Succeeded byBob Collins
Preceded byKim Beazley
Vice-President of the Executive Council 1991–1992
Succeeded byRalph Willis
Preceded byBrian Howeas Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services
Minister for Health 1993–1994
Succeeded byCarmen Lawrenceas Minister for Human Services and Health
Preceded byRos Kelly
Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories 1994
Succeeded byJohn Faulkner
Party political offices
Preceded byGeoff Cahill
General Secretary of the New South Wales Labor Party 1976–1983
Succeeded byStephen Loosley
Notes and references
1. Serving as the junior minister in the Outer Ministry. "50. Hawke Ministry (ALP) 24.7.1987 – 4.4.1990". Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia (PDF) (Report) (34th ed.). Parliament of Australia. 2017. p. 568. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 July 2017.

References

  1. The Australian
    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/change-in-the-air-as-labor-thinks-defeat/story-e6frg6zo-1225878638970
  2. Parliamentary Handbook
    https://handbook.aph.gov.au/parliamentarians/4E4
  3. TV Tonight
    http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2011/02/airdate-richo.html
  4. The Australian
    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/media-diary/mark-latham-joins-alan-jones-on-sky-news-weekly-show/news-story/6b23a1219dd6ce1292b7c5f8d09cfb60
  5. The fixer: the untold story of Graham Richardson
  6. The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate
    https://biography.senate.gov.au/richardson-graham-frederick
  7. Richardson (1994), p. 16.
  8. ABC News
    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-08/graham-richardson-labor-powerbroker-dies/7305430
  9. The Age
    http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/faulkner-midwife-undertaker-secretkeeper-20100707-100oj.html
  10. Can of worms II: a citizen's reference book to crime and the administration of justice
  11. The Sydney Morning Herald
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-fixer-in-a-fix-20031213-gdhzni.html
  12. Hayden (1996), p. 160.
  13. Executive Government in Australia
    https://australianpolitics.com/executive/pm/keating/paul-keating-chronology/
  14. Hurst (1983), p. 290.
  15. Hayden (1996), pp. 319, 351–353.
  16. The Sydney Morning Herald
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/lid-lifted-on-the-ugly-80s-20051125-gdmijv.html
  17. The Australian
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080920123331/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21331779-7582,00.html
  18. The Sydney Morning Herald
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110511195153/http://www.woodchipping.com.au/wood-chipping-articles/1991/11/29/loosley-a-touch-of-teflon/
  19. Parliamentary Handbook
    https://handbook.aph.gov.au/voting/elections/1983/234/senate/elected?tab=NSW&sort=OrderElected&desc=false
  20. The Sydney Morning Herald
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-powerbroker-graham-richardson-dies-aged-76-20251108-p5n8q0.html
  21. Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia
    http://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/05%20About%20Parliament/54%20Parliamentary%20Depts/544%20Parliamentary%20Library/Handbook/handbook_45th_parliament.pdf#page=583
  22. The Monthly
    https://www.themonthly.com.au/monthly-essays-amanda-lohrey-green-christine-profile-senator-milne-782
  23. Geelong Advertiser
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080729011935/http://www.ipa.org.au/news/1493/bell-bay-pulp-friction-all-due-to-sydney%27s-...-green-elites
  24. "Wet Tropics of Queensland"
    https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/heritage/places/world/wet-tropics
  25. "Kakadu National Park"
    https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/heritage/places/world/kakadu
  26. The Age
    http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/hawke-the-prime-minister-20100809-11rn2.html
  27. Green Left Weekly
    https://www.greenleft.org.au/1994/137/graham-richardsons-legacy
  28. Australian Sport Reflections
    https://australiansportreflections.com/2022/05/01/history-of-federal-ministers-of-sport-and-their-shadows/
  29. Richardson (1994), pp. 276–277.
  30. Richardson (1994), p. 281.
  31. Sunday Herald Sun
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110511052203/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/mate-versus-mate-in-labor-cold-war/story-e6frf7jo-1225890215750
  32. The Monthly
    https://thenightly.com.au/politics/graham-richardson-labor-powerbroker-richo-remembered-as-politically-intelligent-sharp-fixer-c-20615103
  33. The Australian
    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/hard-act-to-follow/story-e6frg6z6-1111116221241
  34. Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia
    http://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/05%20About%20Parliament/54%20Parliamentary%20Depts/544%20Parliamentary%20Library/Handbook/handbook_45th_parliament.pdf#page=585
  35. Labor in Power, Episode 4: The Recession We Had to Have
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJEPm_8Q46o&t=1517s
  36. Kelly (1992), p. 57.
  37. Richardson (1994), p. 282.
  38. Richardson (1994), p. 311.
  39. The John Laws Show
    http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=MajorSubjectId_Phrase%3AZM2%20Decade%3A%221990s%22%20Year%3A%221990%22;rec=0
  40. Hayden (1996), pp. 369–370.
  41. Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia
    http://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/05%20About%20Parliament/54%20Parliamentary%20Depts/544%20Parliamentary%20Library/Handbook/handbook_45th_parliament.pdf#page=587
  42. Keating, The Inside Story
  43. The Sydney Morning Herald
    http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-notsoquiet-achiever-20091023-hddk.html
  44. Associated Press News
    https://web.archive.org/web/20220401000053/https://apnews.com/article/73b7c0356fc2662bf1d3807ba2fbb29e
  45. The Sydney Morning Herald
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/from-the-archives-1992-powerbroker-goes-for-the-good-of-the-party-20220512-p5akox.html
  46. The Sydney Morning Herald
    http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/22/1061529330517.html
  47. Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia
    http://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/05%20About%20Parliament/54%20Parliamentary%20Depts/544%20Parliamentary%20Library/Handbook/handbook_45th_parliament.pdf#page=589
  48. Background Briefing
    https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;orderBy=customrank;page=0;query=ATSIC%20criticised%20for%20failing%20to%20resolve%20the%20black%20and%20white%20politicking%20that%20undermines%20Aboriginal%20community%20health%20programs;rec=0;resCount=Default
  49. The Australian
    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/richos-legacy-billy-has-a-slab-for-a-home/story-e6frg6po-1225756946571
  50. "Closing the Indigenous life expectancy gap within a generation"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110106152210/http://www.antar.org.au/node/236
  51. The Independent
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/close-keating-ally-resigns-in-grants-scandal-1426241.html
  52. The Daily Telegraph
    https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-radio-wars-history-of-all-the-sackings-shocks-and-slumps/news-story/bdbc44b999370687c0287d029bd3beef
  53. World Socialist Web Site
    http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/nov1999/oly-n05.shtml
  54. Media Watch
    https://web.archive.org/web/19991129034421/http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s64257.htm
  55. The Sydney Morning Herald
    https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/richo-to-the-rescue-20080817-gdsr35.html
  56. The Saturday Paper
    https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2025/11/29/the-richo-pact-how-graham-put-albanese-charge
  57. Australian Financial Review
    https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/labor-powerbroker-graham-richardson-dies-aged-76-20251108-p5n8q4
  58. The Sydney Morning Herald
    http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/09/22/1158431899894.html
  59. The Sydney Morning Herald
    http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/richos-14m-swiss-bank-deposit/2006/09/27/1159036589612.html
  60. The Age
    http://news.theage.com.au/national/graham-richardson-agrees-to-pay-ato-20081024-57k1.html
  61. "Vale: Graham Richardson"
    https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/11/vale-graham-richardson.html
  62. TV Tonight
    http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2014/04/tuesday-22-april-2014.html
  63. TV Tonight
    http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2014/06/tuesday-17-june-2014.html
  64. The Sydney Morning Herald
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/labor-heavyweight-s-knack-for-courting-controversy-undercut-his-ministerial-achievements-20210512-p57r8l.html
  65. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/nov/08/graham-richardson-dies-richo-former-labor-party-powerbroker-dead-at-76
  66. The Daily Telegraph
    http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/john-lehmann/exclusive-labor-hardman-graham-richardson-reveals-his-painful-cancer-setback/news-story/452db4599f2fe5ec384c7cf5a035773e
  67. The Sydney Morning Herald
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australian-federal-election-2016-wheelchairbound-graham-richardson-returns-to-tv-20160702-gpx4pb.html
  68. Serving as the junior minister in the Outer Ministry.
  69. Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia
    http://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/05%20About%20Parliament/54%20Parliamentary%20Depts/544%20Parliamentary%20Library/Handbook/handbook_45th_parliament.pdf#page=583
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