Cairns union delegate endorses ALP and Matt Smith after series of expletive comments towards the party

A foul-mouthed union volunteer who called to get rid of the ALP while dropping expletives about the Prime Minister, recently endorsed the party’s candidate for Leichhardt.

Labor Leichhardt candidate Matt Smith alongside Maritime Union volunteer Gudge Richardson at a Queensland Unions campaign launch event held in Cairns in March.

A foul-mouthed union volunteer who called to get rid of the ALP while dropping expletives about the Prime Minister, recently endorsed the party’s candidate for Leichhardt.

Maritime Union of Australia volunteer Gudge Richardson was among a number of union heavyweights and members endorsing Matt Smith and Labor at a Queensland Unions campaign launch event in Cairns in March.

Mr Smith also spoke at the event where he was pictured alongside Mr Richardson, with their fists up in the air.

Mr Smith told unionists and attendees there was no “I” in his campaign and that he was “going to win Leichhardt on the strength of ‘we’,” before thanking volunteers for the connections they had already made with the people of the electorate.

Maritime Union volunteer Gudge Richardson speaking at a Queensland Unions federal election campaign launch event in Cairns, in March.

Mr Richardson has a history of vulgar social media comments including labelling secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions as a “traitorous bitch who history will crucify” in September last year.

When responding on Facebook to an article about Labor threatening jail time for CFMEU officials, on August 8, 2024, Mr Richardson posted: “F--- Albanese, no more money for the c----s”.

Mr Richardson also took aim at Labor’s draft bill to enter the CFMEU into administration on August 13 last year.

“Murray Watt you and your government are a pack of unmitigated scabs, f--- the ALP, best get rid of the dogs,” Mr Richardson commented.

Comments made by Gudge Richardson on Facebook in 2024.

At the time of publishing, Mr Richardson’s comments had not been deleted.

The Cairns Post made multiple attempts to contact Mr Richardson, including via the Maritime Union, but he could not be reached for comment.

The union’s Queensland state secretary Jason Miners confirmed Mr Richardson was a volunteer and delegate and could “definitely have chosen his words better,” in relation to his social media comments.

“But Matt Smith is a great candidate up there, before (the launch event) I had already told all my members up there, whether we donate or not, we’re 100 per cent getting behind this candidate.”

Labor Leichhardt candidate Matt Smith alongside Maritime Union volunteer Gudge Richardson at a Queensland Unions campaign launch event held in Cairns in March.

Last week the LNP’s Leichhardt candidate Jeremy Neal was forced to apologise for deleted social media posts of his own in which he called for the ABC to be de-funded, blamed feminists for unseating Donald Trump after his first term, and labelled China “a grub of a country”.

Former LNP Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch last week defended Mr Neal while warning his “good friend”, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of the “dirt” he had on his Labor colleagues over 30 years of politics.

“Quite frankly the comments that Mr Richardson has made online are a disgrace,” Mr Entsch said.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, NewsWire Photos. JUNE 19, 2023: Warren Entsch during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“It will be a telling reflection of character if Matt Smith stands by this guy as one of the volunteers of his campaign.”

In response, Mr Smith said while he was proud to have been part a union fighting for healthcare workers rights, he distanced himself from Mr Richardson’s views.

“These are not comments I have made, I do not share those views and I do not tolerate that kind of language directed at anyone especially women,” he said.

“While Jeremy Neal is spending his time focused on me, my sole focus is on delivering for the people of Leichhardt.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the campaign trail in Queensland with Labor candidate for Leichhardt Matt Smith, pictured on Green Island. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

A Labor campaign spokesperson also doubled down on the LNP Leichhardt candidate.

“The claims made by Jeremy Neal are a complete fabrication and any suggestion that this man has anything to do with the ALP campaign in Leichhardt is a lie.

“The disgusting comments made by Mr Richardson, which are condemned by the campaign in the strongest terms, were aimed squarely at the Labor Party and the Albanese Government.”

Mr Neal responded stating: “This is a simple integrity test for (Mr) Smith, who has refused to rule out that this foul-mouthed union boss is involved in his campaign.”

Originally published as Cairns union delegate endorses ALP and Matt Smith after series of expletive comments towards the party