Richard Mulcahy (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Richard John Mulcahy a former Australia
n politician
was a member of the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
for one term, from 2004 to 2008, representing the Liberal Patry
and later as an independent
.
He is on the record as saying that it should be possible for the people of the ACT to enjoy quality core services without having to endure a heavy tax burden. He is committed to efficiency in Government and has introduced several pieces of legislation to provide taxation relief for the people of Canberra. Richard Mulcahy was committed to working hard in the electorate. By the ACT Government’s own admission he had produced more case work on behalf of constituents than any other non-government member.
and has also advised a number of other Parliamentary figures. He also served in Chief Executive roles with the Confectionery Manufacturers of Australia and the Australian Hotels Association
. He was a Director (Dental Programs- Worldwide) of the William Wrigley Jr. Company based in Chicago, USA.
In May 2006, Bill Stefaniak
replaced Brendan Smyth
as the ACT Leader of the Opposition
in a coup engineered by Mulcahy. In return Richard Mulcahy was appointed as Deputy Leader – a position he held until another party room coup in November 2007.
Throughout his time in the Liberal Party serious tensions existed between two factions – those loyal to former Leader Brendan Smyth, whose leadership had seen the party crash to a devastating defeat in the 2004 ACT election, and those loyal to Mulcahy.
In December 2007, Richard Mulcahy was removed from the front bench on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations made against him that were later dismissed in a Court judgement handed down in February 2008. He responded angrily and contemptuously at the behaviour of his colleagues and was expelled from the Parliamentary Party at the behest of the Smyth led faction. The expulsion was unanimous, with former Mulcahy supporters Seselja and Dunne supporting his removal. He subsequently resigned from the lay Liberal Party to serve as an Independent.
His departure left the Party with just six seats in the Assembly and in a precarious position ahead of the October 2008 election.
The Liberal Party infighting and unpleasantness associated with Mulcahy wore some of the blame for the Party's poor showing at the 2008 ACT Election. While Mulcahy did not come close to regaining his seat, the Liberals were not able to claim it back - rather an unheralded Greens candidate was elected. The current Liberal representation in the ACT Legislative Assembly is six. Mr Zed Seselja, Mr Smyth, Ms Dunne, Mr Hanson, Mr Coe and Mr Doszpot. Media reports had widely dismissed the Liberal Party's chances of obtaining Government in the 2008 ACT Election.
Mulcahy failed to retain his seat at the election, recording only 2057 votes despite spending $56,455 on his campaign. After his expulsion in 2007 he had remained in the Assembly as a Member of the eponymous Richard Mulcahy Canberra Party, but his aim of contesting the next election as a new force in ACT politics proved to be over ambitious.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
was a member of the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory...
for one term, from 2004 to 2008, representing the Liberal Patry
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...
and later as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
.
Political beliefs
A long-term Canberra resident, Richard Mulcahy entered the Legislative Assembly after becoming concerned with the quality of core services in Canberra – especially the health and education systems.He is on the record as saying that it should be possible for the people of the ACT to enjoy quality core services without having to endure a heavy tax burden. He is committed to efficiency in Government and has introduced several pieces of legislation to provide taxation relief for the people of Canberra. Richard Mulcahy was committed to working hard in the electorate. By the ACT Government’s own admission he had produced more case work on behalf of constituents than any other non-government member.
Early career
Originally from Tasmania, Richard Mulcahy has enjoyed a highly successful career in business and other roles before entering politics. He was the Principal Personal Assistant to the former Premier of Victoria, the late Sir Rupert HamerRupert Hamer
Sir Rupert James Hamer, AC, KCMG, ED , generally known until he was knighted in 1982 as Dick Hamer, Australian Liberal Party politician, was the 39th Premier of Victoria, serving from 1972 to 1981.-Early years:...
and has also advised a number of other Parliamentary figures. He also served in Chief Executive roles with the Confectionery Manufacturers of Australia and the Australian Hotels Association
Australian Hotels Association
The Australian Hotels Association is an employer advocacy and lobby group representing hoteliers around Australia.The AHA was established in 1839, and is an organisation of employers registered under Commonwealth Industrial Relations law and respective State Laws...
. He was a Director (Dental Programs- Worldwide) of the William Wrigley Jr. Company based in Chicago, USA.
ACT Legislative Assembly
Mulcahy entered the Legislative Assembly in 2004 as a Member of the Liberal Party. A strong campaign resulted in the highest vote of all Liberal candidates in the electorate of Molonglo. He easily out-polled current Liberal Leader Zed Seselja and was seen instantly by members of the public and media as a candidate for the Liberal leadership. Mulcahy was appointed to the Shadow Treasury position.In May 2006, Bill Stefaniak
Bill Stefaniak
William George "Bill" Stefaniak is an Australian Liberal Party politician. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Capital Territory after succeeding in a leadership challenge against former leader Brendan Smyth on 16 May 2006. He is a former Major in the Australian Army Reserve and...
replaced Brendan Smyth
Brendan Smyth (politician)
Brendan Michael Smyth is a Liberal Party of Australia politician. From 2002 to 2006 he was the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Capital Territory. He retains his shadow previous portfolios of Health, Ageing, Business and Tourism at present. He represents the electorate of...
as the ACT Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Australian Capital Territory)
The Leader of the Opposition of the Australian Capital Territory is an official role usually occupied by the leader of the second largest party or coalition in the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly...
in a coup engineered by Mulcahy. In return Richard Mulcahy was appointed as Deputy Leader – a position he held until another party room coup in November 2007.
Throughout his time in the Liberal Party serious tensions existed between two factions – those loyal to former Leader Brendan Smyth, whose leadership had seen the party crash to a devastating defeat in the 2004 ACT election, and those loyal to Mulcahy.
In December 2007, Richard Mulcahy was removed from the front bench on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations made against him that were later dismissed in a Court judgement handed down in February 2008. He responded angrily and contemptuously at the behaviour of his colleagues and was expelled from the Parliamentary Party at the behest of the Smyth led faction. The expulsion was unanimous, with former Mulcahy supporters Seselja and Dunne supporting his removal. He subsequently resigned from the lay Liberal Party to serve as an Independent.
His departure left the Party with just six seats in the Assembly and in a precarious position ahead of the October 2008 election.
The Liberal Party infighting and unpleasantness associated with Mulcahy wore some of the blame for the Party's poor showing at the 2008 ACT Election. While Mulcahy did not come close to regaining his seat, the Liberals were not able to claim it back - rather an unheralded Greens candidate was elected. The current Liberal representation in the ACT Legislative Assembly is six. Mr Zed Seselja, Mr Smyth, Ms Dunne, Mr Hanson, Mr Coe and Mr Doszpot. Media reports had widely dismissed the Liberal Party's chances of obtaining Government in the 2008 ACT Election.
Mulcahy failed to retain his seat at the election, recording only 2057 votes despite spending $56,455 on his campaign. After his expulsion in 2007 he had remained in the Assembly as a Member of the eponymous Richard Mulcahy Canberra Party, but his aim of contesting the next election as a new force in ACT politics proved to be over ambitious.