• Former Australian Labor Party Senator for Tasmania
• Became a Senator on — Federal election
• Left Senate on n/a — Still in office

• Voting record
• Numbers

Statements by Senators: Medicare (16 Sep 2026)

“There's some very good news for the people of Risdon Vale just outside of Hobart on Tasmania's eastern shore. The Tasmanian government is opening a new GP clinic that will provide 20,000 fully bulk-billed appointments every year. I welcome it, but it's worth explaining what makes those appointments possible. The state government, yes, is providing the clinic, but the appointments are powered...”

Bills: Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026; Second Reading (16 Sep 2026)

“I rise to support the Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026. Like a lot of legislation that comes to this place, there is a fair bit of machinery underneath that title. We're dealing with concepts like managed growth funding, needs based funding and the Australian Tertiary Education Commission. But the principle underneath it is pretty straightforward. Where you...”

Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers: Answers to Questions (15 Sep 2026)

“We hear a lot being thrown around right now. It's really not helpful to use emotive language like 'mortgage prison' and 'trapped'. There's nothing unusual in many buyers finding themselves in a temporary period of so-called negative equity. That means at a particular point in time you owe more than the notional value of the house under your mortgage. That's always been less than two per cent...”

More of Richard Dowling's recent appearances

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Please note that numbers do not measure quality. Also, Senators may do other things not currently covered by this site. (More about this)

• Has spoken in 39 debates in the last year — well below average amongst Senators.
• People have made 0 comments on this Senator's speeches — average amongst Senators.
• 0 people are tracking whenever this Senator speaks .
• Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 36 times in debates — well below average amongst Senators. (Why is this here?)