Fiona Richardson
{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Fiona Richardson
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Fiona Richardson MP and Daniel Andrews MP cropped (cropped).jpg
| caption = Richardson in 2014
| constituency_AM = Northcote
| assembly = Victorian Legislative
| term_start = 25 November 2006
| term_end = 23 August 2017
| predecessor = Mary Delahunty
| successor = Lidia Thorpe
| majority =
| birthname = Fiona Catherine Alison Richardson
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1966|11|22}}
| birth_place = Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2017|8|23|1966|11|22}}
| death_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| party = Labor Party
| spouse = Stephen Newnham
| alma_mater = University of Melbourne
}}
Fiona Catherine Alison Richardson (22 November 1966 – 23 August 2017) was an Australian politician. She was a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 2006 until her death in 2017, representing the electorate of Northcote. She was Minister for Women and Minister for Prevention of Family Violence in the First Andrews Ministry from December 2014 until her death.
Early life and career
Richardson was born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania{{cite web|title=Parliamentary handbook of the 56th Parliament – Fiona Richardson|publisher=Parliament of Victoria|url=http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/handbook/searchresult.cfm?menuid=2&memberId=1671|accessdate=8 March 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903082425/http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/handbook/searchresult.cfm?menuid=2&memberId=1671|archivedate=3 September 2007}} and was educated at Methodist Ladies College, Kew and the University of Melbourne, where she graduated in 1989 majoring in politics and psychology. She was then a researcher of ocular trauma at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.{{cite web|title=Richardson, Fiona Catherine Alison (1966-2017)|url=http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE2728b.htm|website=The Australian Women's Register|publisher=National Foundation for Australian Women|accessdate=23 August 2017|archive-date=23 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823163627/http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE2728b.htm|url-status=live}}
Political career
File:Fiona Richardson MP and her mobile office.jpg
Richardson joined the Australian Labor Party in 1991, and was an adviser to numerous state and federal members of parliament. She was the secretary of the right-wing Labor Unity faction from 2000 to 2007. Richardson was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in November 2006 representing the electorate of Northcote. She replaced the retiring Arts Minister Mary Delahunty. She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Education and served in that position until August 2007, when she became a Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury and Finance.
Richardson was seen as a key player in protecting husband Stephen Newnham as state secretary during a debilitating struggle within the Right faction over control of ALP head office during 2008 and 2009. Newnham eventually left the role in September 2009 after losing the support of the Premier John Brumby.{{cite news|last1=Crook|first1=Andrew|title=Frozen out, Newnham prepares to meet his maker|url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2009/08/18/frozen-out-newnham-prepares-to-meet-his-maker|accessdate=23 August 2017|work=Crikey|date=18 August 2009|archive-date=23 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823161034/https://www.crikey.com.au/2009/08/18/frozen-out-newnham-prepares-to-meet-his-maker/|url-status=live}}
After the Labor government's defeat in the 2010 Victorian state election Richardson was appointed as the Victorian Labor Party's spokesperson for public transport. Due to her ill health, her responsibilities were reduced in a December 2013 reshuffle of the opposition shadow cabinet, and she took responsibility for small business and innovation.{{cite news|last=Smethurst|first=Annika|author-link=Annika Smethurst|title=Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews announces front bench reshuffle|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/opposition-leader-daniel-andrews-announces-front-bench-reshuffle/story-fni0fit3-1226786596954|accessdate=23 August 2017|newspaper=Herald Sun|publisher=News Corp Australia|date=19 December 2013}}
When Labor was returned to government in 2014, Richardson was made Minister for Women and Minister for Prevention of Family Violence in the Andrews Ministry.{{cite news|last1=Willingham|first1=Richard|last2=Cowie|first2=Tom|title=Premier Daniel Andrews finalises ministers' portfolios|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victoria-state-election-2014/premier-daniel-andrews-finalises-ministers-portfolios-20141204-11zxcl.html|accessdate=23 August 2017|work=The Age|date=4 December 2014|archive-date=23 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823162835/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victoria-state-election-2014/premier-daniel-andrews-finalises-ministers-portfolios-20141204-11zxcl.html|url-status=live}} Richardson oversaw the establishment of the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence in 2015, which tabled its report to Parliament in 2016.Royal Commission into Family Violence. [http://files.rcfv.com.au/Reports/RCFV_Full_Report_Interactive.pdf "Royal Commission into Family Violence: Summary and recommendations"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105235519/http://files.rcfv.com.au/Reports/RCFV_Full_Report_Interactive.pdf |date=5 January 2017 }}, Melbourne, March 2016. Retrieved on 13 June 2018.
Personal life
Richardson was married to former ALP state secretary Stephen Newnham and they had two children.{{Cite news|last=Irwin|first=Julia|title=Fiona: I'm no outsider|newspaper=Northcote Leader|date=16 October 2006|url=http://www.northcoteleader.com.au/article/2006/10/16/6080_nlv_news.html|access-date=24 February 2008|archive-date=28 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080728061210/http://www.northcoteleader.com.au/article/2006/10/16/6080_nlv_news.html|url-status=live}}
On 25 June 2013, it was announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.{{cite news|last=Willingham|first=Richard|title=State frontbencher faces cancer battle|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/state-frontbencher-faces-cancer-battle-20130625-2otuu.html|accessdate=25 June 2013|newspaper=The Age|date=25 June 2013|archive-date=28 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628073050/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/state-frontbencher-faces-cancer-battle-20130625-2otuu.html|url-status=live}} She went into remission and returned to parliament.
On 7 August 2017, Richardson announced she was taking medical leave from parliament.{{cite news|title=Illness forces Andrews government minister Fiona Richardson to take leave|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/illness-forces-andrews-government-minister-fiona-richardson-to-take-leave-20170807-gxra6q.html|accessdate=23 August 2017|work=The Age|date=7 August 2017|archive-date=10 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810173310/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/illness-forces-andrews-government-minister-fiona-richardson-to-take-leave-20170807-gxra6q.html|url-status=live}} On 22 August 2017, she said she would be extending her leave after being diagnosed with several tumours and would retire at the next election,{{cite news|title=Victorian MP Fiona Richardson to leave Parliament after cancer diagnosis|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-22/fiona-richardson-to-leave-vic-parliament-tumour-diagnosis/8831282|accessdate=23 August 2017|work=ABC News|date=22 August 2017|language=en-AU|archive-date=23 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823103204/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-22/fiona-richardson-to-leave-vic-parliament-tumour-diagnosis/8831282|url-status=live}} but she died the next day, 23 August 2017, aged 50.{{cite news|title=Victorian minister Fiona Richardson dies after battle with cancer|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victorian-minister-fiona-richardson-dies-20170823-gy2qvu.html|accessdate=23 August 2017|work=The Age|archive-date=26 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826022921/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victorian-minister-fiona-richardson-dies-20170823-gy2qvu.html|url-status=live}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070903082425/http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/handbook/searchresult.cfm?menuid=2&memberId=1671 Parliamentary handbook of the 56th Parliament – Fiona Richardson] (Retrieved 7 March 2008)
- [http://www.northcoteleader.com.au/article/2006/10/16/6080_nlv_news.html Fiona: I'm no outsider, Northcote Leader, 16 October 2006] (Retrieved 7 March 2008)
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|au-vic-la}}
{{s-bef|before=Mary Delahunty}}
{{s-ttl | title=Member for Northcote | years=2006–2017}}
{{s-aft|after=Lidia Thorpe}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Heidi Victoria|as=Minister for Women's Affairs}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Women|years=2014–2017}}
{{s-aft|after=Natalie Hutchins|rows=2}}
{{s-non|reason=Ministry created}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Prevention of Family Violence|years=2014–2017}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Fiona}}
Category:21st-century Australian politicians
Category:21st-century Australian women politicians
Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Victoria
Category:Deaths from cancer in Victoria (state)
Category:Labor Right politicians
Category:Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Category:Ministers for women (Victoria)
Category:People from Dar es Salaam
Category:Politicians from Melbourne
Category:Women members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Category:Women's ministers of Australia
Category:Ministers for prevention of family violence (Victoria)