Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today we pause to remember a towering figure in the Australian Labor Party—a strategist, a fighter and a loyal servant of the movement—Graham 'Richo' Richardson. Richo was many things over his long public life: a senator, a minister, a commentator. But, more than anything, he was Labor to his bones. He understood the party not as an institution but as a living thing carried forward by people, by values and by the promise of a better life for working Australians. He dedicated every waking hour of his career to that mission.

Born in 1949 and raised in a family steeped in Labor tradition, Richo was shaped early by the stories of struggle and solidarity that define our movement. He joined the party as a teenager, not for prestige but because he believed in something bigger than himself. By his 20s, he was already deep in the engine room of the New South Wales branch, learning, negotiating, persuading and doing whatever he had to do to keep Labor competitive, united and capable of governing. And then came his extraordinary career in the Senate, where he quickly became one of the most influential political thinkers of his generation.

As Minister for Social Security and then as minister for the environment, he carried the same unwavering purpose of improving people's lives. The preservation of our natural heritage, of Kakadu and the Daintree, bears his fingerprints to this day. He understood something profound: working people deserve not only economic security but a country worth passing on to their children. In the great tradition of Labor reformers, he fought hard and sometimes fiercely to make that vision real.

Richo was known for many things: his sharp political instincts, his unmatched ability to read a room, his blunt humour and, yes, his famous willingness to do whatever it takes for the party he loved. But beneath all of that was a deep loyalty to colleagues, to friends, to the labour movement and to the ordinary Australians he believed Labor existed to serve. He never drifted from those roots. Even after leaving parliament, his voice remained unmistakeably Labor, on television, in commentary, at party events and in quiet conversations with leaders seeking his counsel. People listened to him not because he demanded it but because he understood politics the way few ever will and because his advice was always grounded in purpose, not ego.

Richo was not a saint, nor would he want to be remembered as one. He was a human—imperfect, fiery, passionate and utterly committed to his cause. But that is what makes a political life real. He believed in government as a force for good, he believed in the power of solidarity and he believed in the idea that no Australian should be left behind, and he fought for those beliefs with a seriousness and intensity that shaped a generation of Labor thinking.

In the electorate of Spence, in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, where working-class traditions run deep, there would be many who remember Richo not as a distant political figure but as a symbol of Labor's determination to keep fighting for ordinary families. He spoke in a language people understood. He didn't hide behind jargon or niceties. He cut through. And, whether you agreed with him or not, you always knew where he stood. That clarity and that conviction are rare.

Richo's passing marks the end of an era for Labor—an era defined by bold reform, tough decisions and unwavering belief in the transformative power of government. But his legacy lives on in the environmental protections he helped deliver; in the electoral victories he helped secure; in the culture of strategy, loyalty and purpose he instilled in the party; and in the countless Labor MPs, staffers and members who learned from him, formally or informally, what it means to serve. Richo faced significant health battles over recent years, yet even in illness he remained engaged, insightful and committed. His courage in those final years was immense. He continued to write, to analyse, to mentor and to speak his mind. He continued to give back to the movement that had given him purpose.

Condolence motions remind us that politics is not just policy or contest; it is the people, people who dedicate their talents, their energy and, at times, their health to the service of others. Graham Richardson was one of those people. He lived a big life. He leaves a big legacy. To his family, his friends, his colleagues in the Labor Party and all who mourn him today: I offer my deepest sympathies. May they find comfort in knowing his work changed this country for the better, and may they know that his contribution will be remembered not only in the history books but in the lives of Australians who benefit from his determination and his belief in a fairer nation. Vale, Richo. May you rest in peace.

Debate adjourned.

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