27 Facts About Richard Wynne

Richard William Wynne was born on 6 October 1955 and is a former Australian politician.

Richard Wynne was a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2022, representing the electorate of Richmond.

Richard Wynne served as the Minister for Planning between December 2014 and June 2022 and the Minister for Housing between November 2018 and June 2022.

Richard Wynne served as Minister for Multicultural Affairs between November 2018 and March 2020.

Richard Wynne is a member of the Labor Party and a member of the Socialist Left faction.

Richard Wynne grew up in the once working class, inner-city suburb of North Melbourne.

Richard Wynne attended St Joseph's Christian Brothers College in Queensberry Street, North Melbourne.

Richard Wynne completed his Higher School Certificate in 1972.

Richard Wynne completed a Diploma in Youth Work in 1977 at Coburg State College, a Bachelor of Social Work in 1982 and a Diploma in Criminology in 1985 at the University of Melbourne.

Richard Wynne was elected to the Melbourne City Council representing North Melbourne wards from 1986 to 1991, and was elected as Lord Mayor of Melbourne from 1990 to 1991.

Richard Wynne was an adviser to the Hon Andrew McCutcheon, MLA for St Kilda, Victorian Minister for Planning and Housing, from 1991 to 1992.

Richard Wynne was preselected for the now vacant seat of Richmond.

Richard Wynne won the then safe Labor seat of Richmond comfortably.

Richard Wynne was elected to the sub-cabinet post of Parliamentary Secretary for Justice after the election and served until the state election in 2002.

The Bracks state Labor government was returned in a landslide result in 2002, but the new phenomenon of the Victorian Greens Party scoring strong results in the inner city seats of Melbourne saw Richard Wynne go to preferences in the once-safe Labor seat.

Richard Wynne was promoted to Cabinet Secretary in the Bracks state Labor government following the 2002 election, which he held until 2006.

One of Richard Wynne's stated goals as Minister for Housing is to solve the current rent crisis sweeping Australia, as investors turn to booming commodities and share markets for better return over the property market.

Richard Wynne served in these roles until Labor lost the 2010 election.

Richard Wynne was appointed Minister for Planning in the First Andrews Ministry in December 2014, and continued to hold the role in the Second Andrews Ministry.

Richard Wynne was appointed Minister for Housing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs in November 2018.

Richard Wynne controversially approved apartment towers at Flemington Race Course in 2017.

Richard Wynne relinquished the multicultural affairs portfolio in March 2020.

In November 2021, Richard Wynne announced he would retire at the 2022 state election.

Richard Wynne continued to hold the planning and housing portfolios until stepping down on 27 June 2022.

Richard Wynne is a keen supporter of Australian rules football, fencing, and hockey.

Richard Wynne started a case in 2016 to prosecute rogue developers that had demolished a heritage-listed pub, the Carlton Inn.

Richard Wynne received criticism in the media, with Crikey's Guy Rundle saying that Richard Wynne and the Labor government had "pathetically rolled over" to the developers.