[2] Prior to being elected to Parliament, Wynne was a social worker, an electorate officer and a ministerial adviser to state and federal Labor ministers.

During his term as Lord Mayor, he was part of Melbourne's unsuccessful bid for the 1996 Olympic Games (that was won by Atlanta).

[3] A keen sports fan, Wynne oversaw plans to rebuild the Great Southern Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

He was an adviser to the Hon Andrew McCutcheon, MLA for St Kilda (abolished), Victorian Minister for Planning and Housing, from 1991 to 1992.

Brian Howe MHR, federal member for Batman, Australian Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services, 1993–96.

The state member for Richmond (1988–99), Demitri Dollis, was disendorsed by the Labor Party (Victorian Branch) in August 1999 after an extended stay out of the country, working with the newly elected Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) government in Greece.

The role assisting the reformist Attorney General Rob Hulls gave Richard the opportunity to push for law reform in the area of Gay and Lesbian Rights (a strong constituency in his inner-city seat).

[7] In April 2007, Richard Wynne, as Local Government Minister, was central to the development of the groundbreaking Victorian Statewide Relationship Register as part of his ongoing involvement in Gay and Lesbian law reform.

[12] After the deal was concluded, the state opposition and various groups criticised the decision, with comments that Wynne had effectively "waved the white flag" to developers, possibly encouraging them to knock down further heritage-listed properties for further redevelopment.

Both heritage groups and the state opposition demanded that the government compulsory acquire the land under section 172 of the Planning and Environment Act.