Graham Richardson, a former influential figure in the Labor Party, has passed away at the age of 76, leaving behind a poignant promise made to his teenage son.
The noted political commentator initially fell ill with the flu in September, which later escalated into pneumonia. He succumbed to the illness early Saturday morning, around 3:50 a.m.
In his final days, Richardson assured his wife, Amanda, that he would hold on until their son, D’Arcy, completed his Higher School Certificate (HSC) exams.
D’Arcy completed his final exam in French on Thursday, fulfilling his father’s promise.
On Saturday morning, the news of Richardson’s passing was shared on 2GB radio. Host Ben Fordham called in to convey the sad announcement to the audience.
“D’Arcy and Amanda have asked me to let everyone know that, unfortunately, Richo passed away in the early hours of this morning,” Fordham informed listeners.
‘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.’
Richardson had battled ill health for years. He was first diagnosed with cancer in 1999 and had his bowel removed in 2016.
Graham Richardson and his wife Amanda pose at a movie premiere in November, 2015
Richardson died aged 76 after he told his wife Amanda he planned to live until their son D’Arcy finished his HSC exams (the family are pictured)
Despite his health struggles, Richardson remained active in political commentary both in Australia and abroad.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed the Labor star as a ‘legend’.
‘He’s someone who I often got advice from and he was always worth listening to,’ Albanese told Sky News on Saturday.
Former Labor premier and foreign affairs minister Bob Carr said Richardson would be remembered for this ‘colossal’ contributions to the party.
‘It’s a sad moment, especially for people of my generation who counted Graham Richardson as a colleague and friend going back to our days in Young Labor in the early 70s,’ he told the Herald Sun.
Richardson was elected a Senator for New South Wales at just 33, having previously served as the Labor party’s state General Secretary at 27-years-old.
He made ‘whatever it takes’ his political mantra as he garnered a fearsome reputation as the leader of the NSW right faction.
Richardson arrived in Canberra as the Hawke Labor government was elected in 1983, and was an important player in both the Hawke and Keating ministries.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed the Labor star as a ‘legend’
Richardson was a powerful player within the Australian Labor Party (he is pictured in 1999)
Richardson died from influenza and pneumonia about 3.50am on Saturday (pictured in 2017)
Richardson lived to see his teenage son D’Arcy finish his HSC exams (both are pictured)
He held portfolios for the environment, social security, transport, communications and health.
As Environment Minister, he improved protection for the Daintree and Kakadu, and put a halt to the Wesley Vale Pulp Mill in Tasmania.
It was not a career without controversy however.
He helped take down Hawke as Prime Minister in 1991 after he withdrew his support.
Richardson was also a crucial factor in Keating’s successful leadership challenge, an event which cemented his reputation as a powerful player in the Labor party.
In 2017, Richardson opened up about the marathon 18-hour operation he underwent to remove four of his organs.
He revealed he died three times during the ordeal in 2016, but was revived each time by a cardiac anaesthetist.
Richardson had his stomach, bladder, tailbone, bowel, prostate and rectum removed during the high-risk surgery in April 2016.
His wife and son were twice told by doctors to say their goodbyes, but the former senior government minister pulled through.
‘I had the operation because I thought the consequences of not having it were going to be incontinence. I didn’t realise it was also death,’ Richardson said at the time.
‘I want to see Darcy grow, I want to see him prosper. I want to see him a man and so that means I’ve got to live to a ripe old age.’
In 2017, Richardson opened up about the marathon 18-hour operation he underwent to remove four of his organs (he is pictured in 2003)
Richardson married his wife Amanda in 2007
He was accused of tax evasion, thanks to his relationship with stockbroker Rene Rivkin, who said Richardson had shares in the printing company Offset Alpine, which burnt down in mysterious circumstances in 1993.
Richardson strenuously denied Rivkin’s claim, but the affair haunted him for years.
He released his memoir Whatever It Takes in 1994 and over the years he made a number of enemies and had a falling out with long-time friend Keating.
Former Health Minister Neal Blewett described Richardson as an ‘Antipodean Machivaelli’ and ‘the arch proponent of vested interests’.
Foreign Minister Gareth Evans said Richardon’s leaning for doing ‘whatever it takes’ was ‘not always a recipe for good, principled government’.
He was also the mayor of the athlete’s village during the Sydney 2000 Games before he debuted his own show Richo on Sky News in 2011.
He would then co-host Richo + Jones with the controversial radio host Alan Jones.
Richardson was married twice, sharing a son and daughter with his first wife Cheryl Gardner, whom he married in 1973.
Richardson battled health issues for years but made it to see his son finish his HSC exams
He married his second wife Amanda in 2007, with the couple later welcoming a son, Darcy.
Richardson previously shared his dreams for D’Arcy to become prime minister.
‘I want him to be prime minister. If I hang around long enough, I reckon I could manage it,’ he told 60 Minutes.
‘I could get him there.’
