Kym Richardson

Kym Charles Richardson (born 16 March 1958) is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives between 2004 and 2007, representing the South Australian 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). Fact|date=May 2007 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. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/sa/content/2003/s1226268.htm Ian Henschke interviews Kym Richardson] .]

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. Fact|date=May 2007 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. Fact|date=May 2007

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. Fact|date=May 2007 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 is 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%. [ [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21145638-5006301,00.html SA marginals swing to Labor] ] A July poll in the same newspaper reported that Rishworth was ahead 57% to 43%. [ [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22141154-910,00.html Labor landslide looms] ] A mid-election October 2007 poll in The Advertiser had the margin at 56% to 44% and Richardson's primary vote at 34%. [ [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22625014-5006301,00.html Kingston collapse blow for Howard] ]

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. [ [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22576664-2682,00.html MP moves aside for the real deal] ] [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIUQuo6-3cg Kym Richardson chickens out of IR debate] ]

In the 2007 federal election, Kym Richardson was defeated by his labor opponent Amanda Rishworth.

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