John Richardson (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
John Ingles Richardson is a former Australia
n politician. He was the Liberal
member for Forest Hill
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
from 1976 to 2002.
Richardson was born at Shepparton
to shopkeeper William Richardson and his wife Ethelwyn Ingles Smith. He attended public schools at Kerang
before attending Ivanhoe
Grammar School and finally Bendigo
Teachers' College, from which he graduated as a primary teacher in 1957. He became a schoolteacher at Braybrook
Primary School and a lecturer at Footscray
Technical College, and in 1963 received a Bachelor of Commerce
from Melbourne University. On 11 May 1963 he married Alice Mary Salmon, with whom he had two children. In 1967 he became the manager of James Bennett Booksellers and Publishers; he was also a script-writer for the children's shows Magic Circle Club and Adventure Island, as well as the author of five children's books.
A member of the Liberal Party
, Richardson was elected to the Victorian Parliament for Forest Hill
in 1976. In 1982 he became Shadow Minister for Educational Services, but later that year was moved to Consumer Affairs, with the additional portfolio of Assistant to the Leader of the Opposition. In 1983 he moved to Ethnic Affairs, but left the front bench in 1985. In 1989 he returned as Shadow Minister for Education, moving to Community Services, Housing and Aboriginal Affairs in 1990. He left the front bench again in 1991. Richardson remained a backbencher until his retirement in 2002.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was the Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
member for Forest Hill
Electoral district of Forest Hill
Forest Hill is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It is a 22km² electorate located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, encompassing the suburbs of Blackburn South, Burwood East and Vermont South and parts of Forest Hill and Vermont...
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
from 1976 to 2002.
Richardson was born at Shepparton
Shepparton, Victoria
Shepparton is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River in the north east of Victoria, Australia approximately north-east of Melbourne. It is the fifth largest city in Victoria, Australia. The estimated population of Shepparton's statistical area is 48,926.It began as a sheep station...
to shopkeeper William Richardson and his wife Ethelwyn Ingles Smith. He attended public schools at Kerang
Kerang, Victoria
Kerang is a rural town on the Loddon River in northern Victoria in Australia. It is the commercial centre to an irrigation district based on livestock, horticulture, lucerne and grain. It is located north-west of Melbourne on the Murray Valley Highway a few kilometres north of its intersection...
before attending Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe, Victoria
Ivanhoe is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule. At the 2006 Census, Ivanhoe had a population of 10,600.-History:...
Grammar School and finally Bendigo
Bendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
Teachers' College, from which he graduated as a primary teacher in 1957. He became a schoolteacher at Braybrook
Braybrook, Victoria
Braybrook is a suburb 9 km west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong. At the 2006 Census, Braybrook had a population of 6940....
Primary School and a lecturer at Footscray
Footscray, Victoria
Footscray is a suburb 5 km west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong. At the 2006 Census, Footscray had a population of 11,401....
Technical College, and in 1963 received a Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
from Melbourne University. On 11 May 1963 he married Alice Mary Salmon, with whom he had two children. In 1967 he became the manager of James Bennett Booksellers and Publishers; he was also a script-writer for the children's shows Magic Circle Club and Adventure Island, as well as the author of five children's books.
A member of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, Richardson was elected to the Victorian Parliament for Forest Hill
Electoral district of Forest Hill
Forest Hill is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It is a 22km² electorate located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, encompassing the suburbs of Blackburn South, Burwood East and Vermont South and parts of Forest Hill and Vermont...
in 1976. In 1982 he became Shadow Minister for Educational Services, but later that year was moved to Consumer Affairs, with the additional portfolio of Assistant to the Leader of the Opposition. In 1983 he moved to Ethnic Affairs, but left the front bench in 1985. In 1989 he returned as Shadow Minister for Education, moving to Community Services, Housing and Aboriginal Affairs in 1990. He left the front bench again in 1991. Richardson remained a backbencher until his retirement in 2002.
Publications
Richardson published five children's books:- Wilfred the Wombat
- Gendarme the Police Horse
- Gendarme at Work
- Suey the Sheep Dog
- Ace the Guard Dog