Labor powerbroker Graham Richardson has died at the age of 76.<\/p>\n
The former politician died early Saturday after weeks of influenza and pneumonia.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Mr Richardson was loyal, insightful and a close friend.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Cutting short his university degree to learn from the party’s toughest powerbrokers, he emerged as the youngest general secretary in the history of the NSW Labor Party at just 26.<\/p>\n
At Labor’s Sydney headquarters, Mr Richardson became known as the “numbers man” for the right-wing faction.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Graham Richardson at a NSW State Labor Conference, Sydney, in July 2017. (AAP: Daniel Munoz)<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
At 33, he negotiated his own way into parliament to become the youngest senator ever elected at the time.<\/p>\n
He was later installed as the minister for environment and sustainability.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In exchange, Mr Richardson blocked Tasmania’s Wesley Vale pulp mill and saved the Daintree rainforest, staring down angry timber workers at ugly demonstrations.<\/p>\n
Political scandals, ill health and television career<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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”.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Following Mr Keating’s surprise election win in 1993, Mr Richardson returned to cabinet as minister for health.<\/p>\n
His portfolio grew to take in the environment and sport after another government scandal, but once again, his tenure was short-lived.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Graham Richardson\u00a0lived long after he was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. (AAP: Tracey Nearmy)<\/p>\n
Just four weeks later, the 45-year-old retired from parliament, citing ill health.<\/p>\n
Mr Richardson went on to capitalise on his extensive contacts and forge a career as a corporate negotiator, broadcaster and commentator.<\/p>\n
But he never appeared far from controversy, with allegations of his involvement in sex scandals, dodgy developments and secret deals.<\/p>\n
He was a familiar face on election night panels and a very unpopular choice as the mayor of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Village.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
‘I’m not making long-term plans’<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“Don’t worry \u2014 as the Terminator says \u2014 ‘I’ll be back’,” he told viewers of Richo and Jones the night before the surgery.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Graham Richardson and wife Amanda at a charity movie screening in 2015. (AAP: Paul Miller)<\/p>\n
Three weeks after the surgery he was rushed into intensive care to spend a night under supervision at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.<\/p>\n
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”.<\/p>\n
While Mr Richardson was bullish in his optimism, he was aware of his mortality.<\/p>\n
“You have to say, yes, I am frightened,” he told The Daily Telegraph in 2015 when news of the cancer setback emerged.<\/p>\n
“I’ve been worrying about this for a long time.<\/p>\n
“You’re talking 15 hours under the knife and, let’s be honest, I’m no spring chicken.”<\/p>\n
‘No one ignored what Richo had to say’<\/p>\n
Former Labor minister Craig Emerson, who worked closely with Mr Richardson, said his greatest legacy was his commitment to the environment.<\/p>\n
“Richard was always very affable,” he told ABC News Channel.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“People would [continue to] listen to him once he was out of parliament. No one ignored what Richo had to say.”<\/p>\n
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Mr Richardson was more than a force of nature.<\/p>\n
“Richo was a full tectonic place. Dragging the entire landscape with him when he moved,” he said.<\/p>\n
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”.<\/p>\n
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie also offered her condolences in a post on X.<\/p>\n
“In all our debates he was always gracious and wise with his unique encyclopedic knowledge of Labor lore and history. He \u2026 loved our country,” she said.<\/p>\n
“His determination to continue public debate despite his illness was extraordinary.”<\/p>\n
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