Mark Latham has revealed how he dressed down Graham Richardson as a ‘corrupt a***hole’ during an ad break of a Sky News segment.
Richardson, who died on Saturday aged 76 after a bout of pneumonia and influenza, has been remembered as a Labor legend, a ruthless political operator, and a media mainstay.
But for Latham, and ‘Richo’s’ critics, the former Hawke government minister, senator and political fixer’s legacy is far murkier.
Recalling a fiery 2018 Sky News clash that spilled off-air, Latham revealed he told Richardson off-air: ‘Listen mate… when you die, you’ll be written up as the corrupt a***hole you were.
According to Latham’s recount, Richardson replied: ‘Yeah, and what will they say about you?’
‘Lots of things, but I’ve never been a crook. I’ve never taken money off murderers and drug dealers,’ Latham said.
Latham claimed on Tuesday that he had been vindicated: ‘Today that article I predicted is in the Sydney Morning Herald, of course.’
He was referring to an article by Kate McClymont, the Herald’s chief investigative reporter, which said: ‘For a reporter whose career has been spent uncovering crime and corruption, Richo was the one who got away.’
Mark Latham (pictured) revealed what he said to Graham Richardson after their 2018 TV spat
McClymont claimed Richardson once told her: ‘I know that you know, but you’ll never be able to prove it.’
During the parts of Latham and Richardson’s clash that were aired on TV, Latham accused Richardson of accepting money from convicted murderer and property developer Ron Medich.
Richardson strongly denied any wrongdoing, insisting he severed ties with Medich long before charges were laid.
The exchange grew increasingly personal, with Latham branding Richardson a ‘rotten old shyster,’ prompting Richardson to retaliate.
‘You’re not just a rat, you’re a king rat.’ he said.
‘I’ll tell you something about king rats, it’s not that case that everybody else changes and pure Mark Latham stays the same. That’s what you love to claim.’
Tensions escalated when Richardson condemned Latham for then backing Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and recording robocalls urging voters to reject Labor.
Latham hit back by invoking Richardson’s past controversies, including his links to disgraced NSW Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid, who was jailed in 2016.
Latham also referenced Richardson’s remark that Labor branch members would be ‘rolling in their graves’ over Latham’s current political stances.
Mark Latham (right) and Graham Richardson (left) had an infamous clash on Sky News in 2018
Latham hit back, claiming those same members, once his staunchest supporters, ‘absolutely detested’ Richardson during his tenure as NSW Labor General Secretary.
‘Yes, they helped my family,’ Latham said, ‘but I reckon they would have cheered my critique of Richardson that night, because it echoed their own.’
Richardson’s death has sparked a wave of tributes from powerful media and political figures.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called Richardson a ‘Labor legend’ and ‘a real character,’ while former Greens leader Bob Brown praised his environmental legacy, including efforts to protect the Daintree and Kakadu rainforests.
Richardson will be given a state funeral, it was announced on Monday.
But Latham, who now sits as an Independent in the NSW Upper House, has long portrayed Richardson as the embodiment of Labor’s darkest traits including factional thuggery, backroom deals, and entrenched power politics.
Graham Richardson (pictured) will be honoured with a state funeral, following his death
Latham also took aim at the media and political figures who, in his view were ‘sucking up’ to Richardson during his post-political career as a commentator on Sky News.
He also singled out former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, sarcastically referring to him as ‘Slurpy Morrison (good Christian)’ for his public praise of Richardson.
Latham has been very critical of senior Labor figures such as Albanese and Tanya Plibersek.
Labor took steps to distance themselves from Latham in the wake of claims made by his ex-girlfriend Nathalie Matthews.
His portrait remains in the federal caucus room alongside other former leaders, but now bears a pointed disclaimer.
‘In 2017, Mark Latham was expelled from the Australian Labor Party and banned for life. His actions do not accord with Labor values and fail to meet the standards we expect and demand,’ it reads.
