Kym Richardson
Encyclopedia
Kym Charles Richardson is an Australia
n politician. He was a Liberal
member of the Australian House of Representatives
between 2004 and 2007, representing the South Australia
n electorate of Kingston
.
Richardson joined the police force at a young age, serving in the elite Star Force unit for thirteen years. Investigated for unethical behaviour while a Police Officer he was precluded from receiving the National Medal, however Kym is now the recipient of the Police Service Medal (a SAPOL award). Richardson shared his police career with a number of other activities, only resigning from the force upon entering Federal Parliament in 2004.
While actively involved in police duties, he also played Australian rules football
for the West Torrens
club, and spent several years coaching local teams. After retiring from football, he moved into sports management. His clients included international cricketer Jason Gillespie
and football player Byron Pickett
. As a Police Officer he was charged with six counts of promoting a pyramid marketing scheme. However, no evidence was tendered in the case and all charges were dropped.
Richardson was a friend of former state MP Robert Brokenshire
, and had been approached to stand as a Liberal candidate at the 1998 election, but had declined for family reasons. In 2003, he was again approached, and this time accepted the offer to nominate for the seat of Kingston. There was some speculation that former Australian Football League
player Nigel Smart
was also being encouraged to nominate, but this did not eventuate. Richardson won preselection for the Kingston with broad factional support.
Kingston was held by the incumbent Australian Labor Party
MP, Assistant Shadow Treasurer David Cox
, by a narrow margin. Polling in the lead-up to the election had suggested that Cox was likely hold the seat. Several commentators, such as Antony Green
, agreed with this conclusion. However, on election night, there was a swing to Richardson and the Liberal Party. After eleven days of counting Richardson overtook Cox on postal and absentee votes. Richardson defeated Cox by 119 votes after preferences.
Richardson is socially conservative. In the abortion
debate that emerged in 2005, arguing that abortion is unacceptable in all cases apart from where rape is involved. He has largely concentrated on the issue of road safety, a focus of much of his career with the police force. Richardson has pushed for a number of reforms to decrease road deaths including raising the driving age to 17, limiting the engine capacity of cars driven by young drivers and doubling demerit points for speeding or drunken drivers. He has also repeatedly advocated the extension of the Noarlunga Centre railway line
to Sellicks Beach
, however no Federal Government funding has been forthcoming.
Richardson's Labor opponent for the 2007 federal election was psychologist Amanda Rishworth
, who previously stood for the State seat of Fisher
. A January 2007 poll in the The Advertiser
showed that on two party preferred terms, Rishworth was ahead in the seat of Kingston by 56% to 44%. A July poll in the same newspaper reported that Rishworth was ahead 57% to 43%. A mid-election October 2007 poll in The Advertiser had the margin at 56% to 44% and Richardson's primary vote at 34%.
In October 2007, Richardson attracted controversy for pulling out of a debate on industrial relations with his Labor rival, bringing in Industrial relations minister Joe Hockey to debate the candidate instead.
In the 2007 federal election, Kym Richardson was defeated by his Labor opponent Amanda Rishworth
.
Richardson was preselected to contest the state seat of Mawson
at the 2010 election
; however he decided to step down amid revelations he faces possible criminal charges of impersonating a police officer. On the 14th January 2010 a pre trial hearing into the matter was heard in the Adelaide Magistrates Court. It was revealed in the Pre Trial Hearing that the impersonation was related to an attempt to dissuade a witness from testifying in an assault case against Richardson's son. The Telephone Call was traced to Parliament House where Richardson was serving as a Politician at the time.
Kym Richardson is now a Real Estate Agent with Elders Real Estate in South Australia.
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 a 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 of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
between 2004 and 2007, representing the South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n electorate of Kingston
Division of Kingston
The Division of Kingston is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia covering the far-south metropolitan area of Adelaide. The division was first proclaimed in 1949....
.
Richardson joined the police force at a young age, serving in the elite Star Force unit for thirteen years. Investigated for unethical behaviour while a Police Officer he was precluded from receiving the National Medal, however Kym is now the recipient of the Police Service Medal (a SAPOL award). Richardson shared his police career with a number of other activities, only resigning from the force upon entering Federal Parliament in 2004.
While actively involved in police duties, he also played Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
for the West Torrens
West Torrens Football Club
West Torrens Football Club was an Australian rules football club that competed in the South Australian National Football League from 1897 to 1990...
club, and spent several years coaching local teams. After retiring from football, he moved into sports management. His clients included international cricketer Jason Gillespie
Jason Gillespie
Jason Neil Gillespie is an Australian cricketer who formerly represented Australia at international level, in both Tests and One Day Internationals, and South Australia, Yorkshire and Glamorgan at first-class level. His primary role is as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, but he is also a competent...
and football player Byron Pickett
Byron Pickett
Byron Pickett is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played with three clubs in the AFL. He was known as a big game player as well as for his strength, hard bumps and tough approach to the game. Pickett is one of 12 players with two premiership medallions, a Norm Smith Medal...
. As a Police Officer he was charged with six counts of promoting a pyramid marketing scheme. However, no evidence was tendered in the case and all charges were dropped.
Richardson was a friend of former state MP Robert Brokenshire
Robert Brokenshire
Robert "Rob" Lawrence Brokenshire is a South Australian dairy farmer and Member of the 48th, 49th, 50th, 51st, 52nd and current South Australian Parliament. Formerly a real estate broker, Brokenshire was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the South Australian House of Assembly between 1993 and...
, and had been approached to stand as a Liberal candidate at the 1998 election, but had declined for family reasons. In 2003, he was again approached, and this time accepted the offer to nominate for the seat of Kingston. There was some speculation that former Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
player Nigel Smart
Nigel Smart
Nigel James Smart was an Australian rules footballer with the Adelaide Crows from 1991 to 2004. He was a defender who was a crowd favourite with his bald head and goatee....
was also being encouraged to nominate, but this did not eventuate. Richardson won preselection for the Kingston with broad factional support.
Kingston was held by the incumbent Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
MP, Assistant Shadow Treasurer David Cox
David Cox (Australian politician)
David Alexander Cox , Australian politician, was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives October 1998 to October 2004, representing the Division of Kingston, South Australia...
, by a narrow margin. Polling in the lead-up to the election had suggested that Cox was likely hold the seat. Several commentators, such as Antony Green
Antony Green
Antony John Green is an Australian psephologist and commentator for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.-Early years and background:...
, agreed with this conclusion. However, on election night, there was a swing to Richardson and the Liberal Party. After eleven days of counting Richardson overtook Cox on postal and absentee votes. Richardson defeated Cox by 119 votes after preferences.
Richardson is socially conservative. In the abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
debate that emerged in 2005, arguing that abortion is unacceptable in all cases apart from where rape is involved. He has largely concentrated on the issue of road safety, a focus of much of his career with the police force. Richardson has pushed for a number of reforms to decrease road deaths including raising the driving age to 17, limiting the engine capacity of cars driven by young drivers and doubling demerit points for speeding or drunken drivers. He has also repeatedly advocated the extension of the Noarlunga Centre railway line
Noarlunga Centre railway line, Adelaide
The Noarlunga Centre railway line is a suburban commuter line in the city of Adelaide, South Australia.-History:Before the extension of the line to Noarlunga Centre line in 1978, the Willunga line ran from Hallett Cove station on a different route through Reynella, Morphett Vale and Hackham to...
to Sellicks Beach
Sellicks Beach, South Australia
Sellicks Beach is a town in South Australia, close to Aldinga, and representing the southernmost extent of the Adelaide urban conurbation. At the 2006 census, Sellicks Beach had a population of 1,622....
, however no Federal Government funding has been forthcoming.
Richardson's Labor opponent for the 2007 federal election was psychologist Amanda Rishworth
Amanda Rishworth
Amanda Louise Rishworth , Australian politician, has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since November 2007, representing the electorate of Kingston, South Australia.-Early years:...
, who previously stood for the State seat of Fisher
Electoral district of Fisher
Fisher is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after James Fisher, a colonial politician and the first mayor of Adelaide...
. A January 2007 poll in the The Advertiser
The Advertiser (Australia)
The Advertiser is a daily tabloid-format newspaper published in the city of Adelaide, South Australia. First published as a broadsheet named "The South Australian Advertiser" on 12 July 1858, it is currently printed daily from Monday to Saturday. A Sunday edition exists under the name of the Sunday...
showed that on two party preferred terms, Rishworth was ahead in the seat of Kingston by 56% to 44%. A July poll in the same newspaper reported that Rishworth was ahead 57% to 43%. A mid-election October 2007 poll in The Advertiser had the margin at 56% to 44% and Richardson's primary vote at 34%.
In October 2007, Richardson attracted controversy for pulling out of a debate on industrial relations with his Labor rival, bringing in Industrial relations minister Joe Hockey to debate the candidate instead.
In the 2007 federal election, Kym Richardson was defeated by his Labor opponent Amanda Rishworth
Amanda Rishworth
Amanda Louise Rishworth , Australian politician, has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since November 2007, representing the electorate of Kingston, South Australia.-Early years:...
.
Richardson was preselected to contest the state seat of Mawson
Electoral district of Mawson
The Electoral district of Mawson is an electorate for the South Australian House of Assembly. It covers the outer southern suburbs of Woodcroft, Hackham, Hackham West, Huntfield Heights and Noarlunga Downs, as well as the regional shopping centre at Noarlunga as well as the southern wine region...
at the 2010 election
Next South Australian state election
The 2010 South Australian state election elected members to the 52nd Parliament of South Australia on 20 March 2010. All seats in the House of Assembly or lower house, whose current members were elected at the 2006 election, and half the seats in the Legislative Council or upper house, last filled...
; however he decided to step down amid revelations he faces possible criminal charges of impersonating a police officer. On the 14th January 2010 a pre trial hearing into the matter was heard in the Adelaide Magistrates Court. It was revealed in the Pre Trial Hearing that the impersonation was related to an attempt to dissuade a witness from testifying in an assault case against Richardson's son. The Telephone Call was traced to Parliament House where Richardson was serving as a Politician at the time.
Kym Richardson is now a Real Estate Agent with Elders Real Estate in South Australia.