Richard is a medical doctor and former Australian federal Senator.
Richard was elected to the Senate from Victoria in the 2010 federal
election and was federal leader of the Australian Greens from 2015 to
2020.
Prior to entering parliament, Richard was a general practitioner and
public health specialist. He worked in Aboriginal health in the
Northern Territory, on HIV prevention in India and as a drug and
alcohol clinician in regional Victoria.
Some of Richard’s parliamentary achievements include securing almost
$5 billion towards Medicare-funded dentistry, forcing the Future Fund
to divest its $250 million of tobacco holdings, and establishing
Senate inquiries into a number of issues of public significance.
In parliament, Richard campaigned strongly for a regulated, evidence
based framework for medicinal cannabis and was the co-convener of the
Parliamentary Friends for Drug Policy and Law Reform.
Richard is back working as a drug and alcohol clinician and he
continues to be a strong advocate for drug policy reform.