Graham Frederick Richardson AO (born 27 September 1949) is an Australian former Labor Party politician who was a Senator for New South Wales from 1983 to 1994 and served as a Cabinet Minister in both the Hawke and Keating governments.

In November 1965, he was seriously injured in a car accident, in which his father was driving, at Tom Uglys Bridge at Dolls Point, resulting in the removal of his spleen, a torn bowel and 200 stitches to his face.

From 1966, he was active in the Catholic Youth Organisation, a recruiting ground for the right wing of Young Labor,[6]: 14  where he formed friendships with Joe Hasham, Bob Scipelliti, and Brian Webb, the latter two acting as silent business partners for Richardson later in life.

[6]: 15  Motivated by the continued factional fighting impacting on his parents' life, Richardson joined the Monterey branch of the Labor Party in 1966, aged 17.

[6]: 19–20  Having earlier dropped out of an arts degree in 1969, Richardson followed his mother's encouragement and commenced studies for a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Sydney.

John Faulkner, of Labor's socialist left faction, was Richardson's Assistant Secretary and for eight months, so great was their mutual hatred, they did not exchange a word.

We were really struggling.Richardson later told the Woodward Royal Commission that in 1973 he met Daniel Casey, a senior figure in Labor right-wing politics, and regarded him as a friend, drank with him at the Sackville Hotel in Rozelle, near Balmain, borrowed $2,000 from him, and paid it back by cheque in two instalments.

"[9] However, Evan Whitton, a noted journalist and campaigner against organized crime, claims that in May 1977 Richardson's wife, Cheryl, went on the payroll, at approximately $130 a week, of Casey's Balmain Welding, but did not have to attend at the office.

[13][14] During Richardson's time as General Secretary, there were significant battles over factional control of a number of inner city Labor branches.

[9][10] Police began investigation into the assault on Baldwin, and included matters relating to the affairs of the Labor Party Enmore branch.

Richardson, in a later interview, confirmed that at the time he wrote to Attorney-General Frank Walker and all other Cabinet Ministers in the Wran Government to ask that the case be dropped on the grounds that it was a Labor Party and not a police matter.

In 1990, a looming tight election saw Richardson tasked with responsibility to attract second-preference votes from the Australian Democrats and other environmental parties.

[32] Interviewed by John Laws a few months following announcement of the Fourth Hawke Ministry, Richardson commented on his new portfolio, feigning interest:[33] When I got it, I was pretty shocked – I must say it's not something I'd ever expected – and so you have to sit down and wonder what the hell you're going to do.

[23][34] Keating appointed Richardson to his coveted portfolio of Transport and Communications – earning him the nickname, Minister for Channel Nine – due to his close relationship with media magnate, Kerry Packer.

[35] In May 1992, Richardson was forced to resign his commission as Minister following revelations that he had used his position and influence to help his cousin by marriage, Gregory Symons.

Symons had been arrested in the Marshall Islands for forging government documents relating to a migration scam, and was later subsequently jailed.

In a highly publicized tour,[39][40] of the Northern Territory and following the Mabo decision and the lodging of Wik claim, Richardson promised to make health care the key components of a new social justice package being negotiated with Aborigines.

However, at the same time, allegations were mounting that Richardson was involved in acquiring prostitutes for his personal use, supplied by Robert Burgess and Nick Karlos.

[43][44] He has continued a role as a broker in other aspects of NSW public life, including the high-profile contract dispute between the National Rugby League player Sonny Bill Williams and his club, the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Richardson was being paid by Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL), and spruiked for PBL-owned companies Channel 9 and Crown Casino during his radio show.

[45] On 27 September 2006, Justice James Allsop, of the Federal Court, released a document showing that Richardson had an undeclared Swiss bank account containing $1.4 million.

In October 2008, Richardson agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to end his ongoing A$2.3 million dispute with the Australian Taxation Office.

The episode of Richo + Jones on 22 April 2014 was the twentieth most watched show on subscription television reaching 39,000 viewers and was the channel's second highest broadcast that day.

Richardson returned to Sky News after a two-month post-surgery recovery period, in time to cover the 2016 federal election on 2 July 2016.