“Stay in a crouch and keep the faith”.

Graham Richardson’s advice to me when my life spiralled into the lonely depths of despair underlined the Labor loyalty that was his long suit.

Graham Richardson, was one of the finest political brains the Labor Party produced. And his number-crunching ability is best explained by comparing him to Robert Ray, the great political operator and numbers man on the Labor Right in Victoria.

When Ray destroyed someone, it was impossible to put the broken person back together because you often couldn’t find all the pieces.

After Richardson destroyed you, he then put you back into some sort of working order – but committed to him.

Graham came to Perth with John Ducker, the NSW party president, in 1977 seeking to formalise the establishment of a Right facti

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