Leading political figures in Canberra and Sydney have gathered at the state funeral of Graham Richardson to send off the late Labor kingmaker.
Richardson died aged 76 in November, having battled health issues for years.
The first mourners to gather at St James’ Church in Sydney’s CBD on Tuesday morning included the new One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce and controversial neurosurgeon Charlie Teo.
Anthony Albanese will also be in attendance and will deliver the eulogy, before tributes and vignettes from Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, ambassador to the Holy See Keith Pitt, and former prime minister Tony Abbott.
Also spotted amongst the mourners is embattled media figure Alan Jones.
The pair co-hosted the Sky News show ‘Richo + Jones’ for several years before Mr Richardson’s ill-health saw him replaced by Mark Latham.
Richardson first entered the Senate in 1983 before going onto serve as a Cabinet minister in both the Hawke and Keating governments.
He is regarded as one of the main players both in installing Bob Hawke as prime minister and in the leadership coup of 1991 that saw then-treasurer Paul Keating take the federal leadership.
He resigned from parliament in 1994 and went on to be a political commentator and regular contributor to Sky News Australia.
Despite his ailing health, Mr Richardson promised to live until his son D’Arcy had completed his HSC exams.
“When he had his big health challenge, he said to his wife Amanda, ‘I’m going to live till I see Darcy finish exams and his HSC’,” 2GB host Ben Fordham told the station in the wake of his death.
“Darcy did his last HSC exam on Thursday, which was his French exam. And Richo died this morning.”
The funeral service is due to begin at 11am.
The venue of Richardson’s service was changed from St Mary’s Cathedral to the Anglican church at the 11th hour on Friday.
The change occurred due to the Richardson family’s desire to have his coffin draped with the Australian flag or the flag of the St George Dragons, the Daily Telegraph reported.
More to come.
Read related topics:Anthony AlbaneseSydney
