1 April | Whatever It Takes - Richo in Conversation (Third Edition)

Welcome to the third edition of PremierNational’s ‘Whatever It Takes’ monthly newsletter, where Director Ilana Waldman sits down with Labor legend and powerbroker Graham Richardson to get his views on the day’s topical issues in politics.

Given the Federal Election date has just been announced for the third of May, today’s edition on “the Big Election Issues” is particularly timely.

Richo gives his candid insights into what he believes are the issues that will sway the electorate and how both parties are positioned.

Richo also reflects on his own experiences on the campaign trail…where you can be in three states on any single day and traverse the country from Tasmania to Western Australia. It sounds like a strange combination of exhausting, exhilarating, entertaining and enervating…

How do you think the mood of the Australian electorate has shifted since the last election?

I think the world - and Australia is not isolated from the world anymore - is a little bit more anxious then perhaps it was last time around. Trump is one of the reasons why people are more anxious, because it's hard to tell what he will do tomorrow because he also doesn’t know. He’ll just see how he feels tomorrow morning when he is getting out of bed and that might determine how things go in the world. Sounds ridiculous. But I think that's how it is.

Are housing affordability, inflation, and economic uncertainty weighing heavily on Australians going into this election?

Those issues are the big issues at every election, and this one will be no different. But I think that things are relatively stable at the moment around the world, which is a good thing for us because we can't isolate ourselves from events overseas.  Even with Trump, who is trying to be more overtly ballsy this time around, I think that this is still largely showmanship.

In your view, outside of housing affordability and inflation / economic issues, what are the key issues that will define the 2025 election?

In Australia, every election, I think health and education are important. It doesn't matter when or what the election is, who is the favourite, whatever, those are the two things that Australians think about. It has always been that way and it's the same now.

Are there solutions to the housing affordability issue that you believe will resonate most with voters?

No. I think housing affordability will remain an issue for quite some time. It won't matter who's in government. It'll just keep going. Unfortunately, if you're not in, it's very hard to get in. And the mummy and daddy bank is still the best way in.

Do you think that Labor’s announcements on health specifically the PBS and Medicare have given it momentum, even though these announcements have been matched by the Coalition?

Yeah, I think that if you are the first with the idea, it's always better. It doesn't matter what field you're talking about, and I think that Labor has done fairly well in that space. If you look like you've got the march on your opposition all the time, then I think you're in front.

How do you think the debate on immigration levels and workforce shortages will play out in this election?

I don't believe it will have a big part in it, because both sides are pretty well “me too”-ing each other. If that is the case, there's not much point in arguing about it because either way you get the same result.

The Coalition recently announced it wants a discussion about whether the constitution is too restrictive and whether it should potentially be altered to enable stripping criminal dual citizens of their Australian citizenship. Do you think that this concern will resonate with the electorate?

No. Small issue. Two bobs worth. 

Do you think that the Israel-Gaza conflict will be an issue at the Federal Election?

No, not really. I think it's a big issue, but it doesn't appear to be much disagreement on the two sides.

The youth vote will be a powerful factor at this election, but loyalty to the major parties seems to be eroding among the younger voters. Are parties doing enough to appeal to younger voters?

I think yes. You know, younger voters are more rebellious these days - I did what my father did and that didn't make me unusual. But today I think it does. I think today people want to do the opposite of what their father is doing. Mind you, if he does [motioning towards his son, who is sitting in the back of the room], I'll kick him out.

What advice would you give to the teams entering this election?

I think that, while it may seem a little crude, promise whatever you like. Because you will get outbid if you don’t go high.

There's no point in pitching down here [pointing low], because everyone's going to pitch up here [pointing high].

How would you describe the pressure of being on a campaign?

It can be intense. You know, I remember in one campaign, I had a plane given to me, because environment was a big issue. And I can remember doing a breakfast in Hobart, a lunch in Melbourne and a dinner in Perth. And that's a big day. Australia’s a big place, you can’t spread yourself so easily here.

Was it fun being on campaign or was it just hard work?

Oh, like all campaigns some of it was terrific and uplifting and some of it's a terrible drag.

Every campaign is the same in that respect. But you try and make all of it a joy if you can, because it beats the shit out of making it a drag.

For our next edition of Whatever It Takes, we have a special opportunity for PremierNational clients. Richo has kindly agreed to take your questions – and he wants to make it clear that you can ask him anything.

Just send your questions to: iw@premiernational.com and Ilana will collate the list and then watch your in-box.

The Hon Graham Richardson AO, better known simply as "Richo", is widely considered one of Australia's sharpest and best-connected political commentators.

Richo has been a central figure in NSW Labor politics for more than 50 years, carving out a reputation as a numbers man for the NSW Right before becoming ALP State Secretary and later entering the Senate in 1983. 

Richardson held several portfolios as Minister and is best remembered for securing increased protection for native forests in Tasmania, as well as the world heritage listing of Queensland's Daintree Forest and Kakadu National Park in the Nothern Territory. 

In 2020, Richardson was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the Parliament of Australia, his subsequent career as a political commentator, as well as his philanthropic support of the Fred Hollows Foundation and the Asthma Foundation. 

Currently, Richardson is a political commentator across all programs on Sky News, writes for The Australian newspaper and is a sought-after commentator for election night television coverage. 

Explore some of Richo’s appearances on Sky News, including his most recent commentary, in the video linked below.