Graham Richardson (born September 27, 1949, in Sydney, Australia) is a former Labor politician who was a 'numbers man' for the right wing of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party. He was highly effective in this position and became known as a 'king maker'. Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke said he was helped twice by Richardson, first to become Prime Minister and then to become not Prime Minister. September 27 is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 95 days remaining. ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Sydney Harbour looking south from the vicinity of the Sydney Harbour Bridge towards the CBD skyline; the Opera House is visible in the background on the left. ... The Labor Right is the organised faction of the Australian Labor Party (the Right) that makes up the more economically liberal and socially conservative members of the ALP. The Right claims to represent the social democratic (as opposed to socialist) element within the party. ... Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Governor Premier Const. ... The Australian Labor Party or ALP is Australias oldest political party. ... The current (25th) Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard (sitting, fifth from left), with his Cabinet, 1999 The office of Prime Minister is in practice the most powerful political office in the Commonwealth of Australia. ... Hon Bob Hawke Robert James Lee Hawke (born December 9, 1929), Australian trade union leader and politician, was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia. ...

Richardson was elected to the Australian Senate in the elections of March 1983, and became Minister for the Environment in March 1987 as part of the Third Hawke ministry. He was Minister for Health in Paul Keating's Government when he resigned from parliament in 1994. Australian Senate chamber Entrance to the Senate The Australian Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. ... Hon Bob Hawke Robert James Lee Hawke (born December 9, 1929), Australian trade union leader and politician, was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia. ... Hon Paul Keating Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944), Australian politician and 24th Prime Minister of Australia, came to prominence first as the reforming Treasurer in the Hawke government, then as the Prime Minister who pulled off an upset victory in the unwinnable election of 1993. ...

Remembered more as a behind-the-scenes 'powerbroker', Richardson is now primarily seen by the Australian public through election night television coverage. He is currently a political commentator for the Nine Network and broadcaster with 2GB. The Nine network (slogan Still The One) is an Australian television network owned by Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (Kerry Packers media company). ... 2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia broadcasting on 873 kHz, AM. Some of the personalites on 2GB are: Alan Jones, Ray Hadley, Brian Wilshire. ...

Further Reading

• Searching For Sources - Concerning allegations of corruption concerning the former Labor Cabinet minister Graham Richardson.
• Graham Richardson, Whatever It Takes (Bantam, 1994) - An autobiography that plays down or omits many of the discreditable details
• Marian Wilkinson, The Fixer: the untold story of Graham Richardson (1996) - A biography that includes some of the omitted details
• James McClelland, An Angel Bit The Bride (Penguin, 1989) - A collection of McClelland's newspaper columns; see pages 59-62 "On The Road To The Damascus Rainforest" for a hostile account of Richardson.