Former Labor senator, party powerbroker and media commentator Graham Richardson has died at the age of 76.
The former senator, who had been battling influenza and pneumonia since September, died at 3.50am following a stint in hospital.
Ben Fordham announced the news on 2GB, which came from Richardson’s family – wife Amanda and teenage son D’Arcy.
Richardson died this morning at the age of 76. (Australian Financial Review)
“D’Arcy and Amanda have asked me to share the news with everyone that, sadly, Richo has passed away in the early hours of this morning,” Fordham said.
“In the past few weeks, he’s had a bout of influenza and then pneumonia, he also had a little stint on dialysis, trying to clean up his blood a little bit.”
Undeterred by his ill health, Richardson even made a TV appearance from hospital earlier this week.
Fordham said he lived long enough to see his son mark a milestone.
“When he had his big health challenge, he said to his wife Amanda, ‘I’m going to live till I see D’Arcy finish exams and his HSC’. D’Arcy did his last HSC exam on Thursday, which was his French exam. And Richo’s died this morning,” Fordham said.
Undeterred by his ill health, Richardson even made a TV appearance from hospital on Monday. (Sky News)In 2017, Richardson told 60 Minutes that he hoped his son would become Prime Minister one day.
“I want him to be Prime Minister. If I hang around long enough, I reckon I could manage it,” he said.
“I could get him there.”
Born in Sydney in 1945, Graham Frederick Richardson was drawn to politics from an early age.
Richardson served as New South Wales senator in federal parliament between 1983 and 1994 and served as Minister for Social Security, for Transport and Communications, and for Health.
In 2017, Richardson told 60 Minutes that he hoped his son would become Prime Minister one day.
Over the years, he became known as the king maker – and the king breaker – with Richardson earning a reputation as Labor’s hardman, and he was known as the “senator for kneecaps”.
He was the power broker and numbers man of the right, with a whatever-it-takes attitude. His ability to bring in political donations helped his power grow.
As Labor’s New South Wales General Secretary, he was instrumental in the coup that saw Bill Hayden fall and Bob Hawke rise in 1983, earning him another title – Labor’s “Mr Fix It”.
In 1983 he was the youngest senator to be elected at the time, at the age of just 33, and after three years was promoted to Minister for Environment.
When he first arrived in parliament, he was the youngest elected senator at the time, at the age of just 33. (9News)
His three years in the portfolio turned out to be a high point, helping him deliver a narrow victory for the Hawke government in 1990.
As Paul Keating’s desire for the top job grew, Richardson’s support for Hawke waned.
Transferring his allegiance, he secured the party room numbers for the Keating camp, which saw Labor bring down a sitting Prime Minister for the first time.
Richardson served as a NSW senator from 1983 until 1984. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Accusations of peddling influence for a relative arrested for fraud, known as the Marshall Islands affair, saw him resign from the ministry.
After the ’93 election, he was back on the frontbench as Minister for Health, but the following year, health problems of his own forced him to call it quits.
Controversy followed him into life after politics, caught up in allegations of unpaid taxes relating to business dealings with Rene Rivkin.
In 1999, Richardson was diagnosed with a chondrosarcoma, a rare and usually lethal bone cancer in his pelvis.
For more than two decades, he underwent multiple surgeries to remove tumours, but remained active in politics. (AAP)
For more than two decades, he underwent multiple surgeries to remove tumours, but remained active in politics.
In later years, Richardson the power broker became Richo the commentator, giving his opinions and predictions regularly on TV networks and hosting his own show.
As a political commentator, he appeared on election night coverage and hosted his evening commentary program Richo until 2021.
He also appeared on Richo + Jones, a joint show with former broadcaster Alan Jones.
In a later statement, Richardson’s wife Amanda said: “I’ve lost the love of my life. D’Arcy’s lost the greatest dad and Australia’s lost one of its best. He was a man ahead of his time.”
The Prime Minister gave his tribute on ABC radio, reminiscing about his former colleague.
“Graham Richardson was a Labor legend,” Anthony Albanese said.
“He would say himself he wasn’t perfect. He was a larger-than-life character and he was someone who always lifted up the spirits of a room where he was.”
As a political commentator, he appeared on election night coverage and hosted his evening commentary program Richo until 2021. (9News)
In a statement, the Prime Minister’s office added: “The scale of his achievements is indisputable, yet he was characteristically self-effacing.
“Richo’s life was often colourful, and sometimes controversial, but what lay at the heart of it was his sense of service, underpinned by his powerful blend of passion and pragmatism. He gave so much to our party, to our nation and to the natural environment that future generations will cherish.
“Graham left the parliament but he never left politics. He remained a thoughtful, perceptive and engaged observer, commentator and source of counsel and insight to so many across the political spectrum.”
Former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg described Richardson as a ”fiercely loyal Labor man who was not afraid to make friends across the political aisle”.
