Labor powerbroker Graham Richardson has died aged 76.
The former politician died at 3.50am on Saturday after weeks of influenza and pneumonia, 2GB Breakfast host Ben Fordham announced after speaking to his wife and son.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Mr Richardson was loyal, insightful and a close friend.
“Graham Richardson was a Labor legend. He was someone who was a real character, someone who rose up through the ranks of the Labor party,” he told ABC Radio Sydney.
Politics was an integral part of Mr Richardson’s life, from the time he dived headlong into Labor’s factional brawls in the 1960s to his final days.
Cutting short his university degree to learn from the party’s toughest powerbrokers, he emerged as the youngest ever general secretary of the NSW Labor Party at the age of just 26.
At Labor’s Sydney headquarters, Mr Richardson became known as the “numbers man” for the right-wing faction.
Richardson at a NSW State Labor Conference in Sydney on July 30, 2017. (AAP: Daniel Munoz)
By 1983, Mr Richardson’s influence reached to the top of Labor, as he delivered the numbers to dump leader Bill Hayden in favour of Bob Hawke.
At 33, he negotiated his own way into parliament to become the youngest senator ever elected at the time.
He was later installed as the minister for environment and sustainability.
Mr Hawke needed Mr Richardson’s deal-making skills to secure an alliance with the Australian Democrats and early Green parties to win a tight election in 1990.
In exchange, Mr Richardson blocked Tasmania’s Wesley Vale pulp mill and saved the Daintree rainforest, staring down angry timber workers at ugly demonstrations.
Political scandals, ill health and television career
However, the relationship with Mr Hawke soured in 1990, and Mr Richardson transferred his allegiance and numbers to Paul Keating, who became prime minister in December 1991.
Mr Richardson was appointed minister for transport and communications, but his close relationship with media magnate Kerry Packer earned him the nickname “the Minister for Channel Nine”.
His dream job did not last long. He was forced to resign and head to the backbench after revelations he used his position and influence to carry out a migration scam in what became known as the Marshall Islands affair.
Following Mr Keating’s surprise election win in 1993, Mr Richardson returned to cabinet as minister for health.
His portfolio grew to take in the environment and sport after another government scandal, but once again, his tenure was short-lived.
Graham Richardson lived for years after being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. (AAP: Tracey Nearmy)
Just four weeks later, the 45-year-old retired from parliament, citing ill health.
Mr Richardson went on to capitalise on his extensive contacts and forge a career as a corporate negotiator, broadcaster and commentator.
But he never appeared far from controversy, with allegations of his involvement in sex scandals, dodgy developments and secret deals.
He was a familiar face on election night panels and a very unpopular choice as the mayor of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Village.
Yet he kept up his busy schedule despite his deteriorating health, penning a regular newspaper column and appearing alongside Alan Jones for a weekly television program on Sky News.
‘I’m not making long-term plans’
On April 6, 2016, Mr Richardson underwent a marathon 18-hour surgery to remove part of his prostate, bladder, bowel rectum, tailbone and part of his hipbone.
“Don’t worry — as the Terminator says — ‘I’ll be back’,” he told viewers of Richo and Jones the night before the surgery.
Graham Richardson and wife Amanda pose at a charity movie screening in 2015. (AAP: Paul Miller)
Three weeks after the surgery he was rushed into intensive care to spend a night under supervision at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
Sky News boss Angelos Frangopoulos told his Twitter followers he had lots of concern for Mr Richardson but “things are positive and he’s doing OK”.
While Mr Richardson was bullish in his optimism, he was well aware of his mortality.
“You have to say, yes, I am frightened,” he told The Daily Telegraph in 2015 when news of the cancer setback emerged.
“I’ve been worrying about this for a long time.
“You’re talking 15 hours under the knife and, let’s be honest, I’m no spring chicken.”
‘No one ignored what Richo had to say’
Former Labor minister Craig Emerson, who worked closely with Mr Richardson, said his greatest legacy was his commitment to the environment.
“Richard was always very affable,” he told ABC News Channel.
“When Richard felt that a change was needed or a particular policy should be supported he was able to marshal all of the members of the New South Wales right in the caucus.
“People would [continue to] listen to him once he was out of parliament. No one ignored what Richo had to say.”
Ex-Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg described Mr Richardson as a “fiercely loyal Labor man who was not afraid to make friends across the political aisle”.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie also offered her condolences in a post on X.
“In all our debates he was always gracious and wise with his unique encyclopedic knowledge of Labor lore and history. He … loved our country,” she said.
“His determination to continue public debate despite his illness was extraordinary.”
ABC/AAP