DOM KNIGHT, HOST: Anthony Albanese, good morning.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, good to be with you.

KNIGHT: A sad day for Labor and a sad day really for all who love politics.

PRIME MINISTER: It is. Graham Richardson was a Labor legend. He was someone who was a real character. Someone who rose up through the ranks of the Labor Party. Was a very powerful General Secretary of the party. Went into the Senate and was a very successful Minister for the Environment - issues like Daintree and Kakadu, that he fought and campaigned to save. He was also Minister for Social Security, so a Minister in both the Hawke and Keating governments. He was a power broker, of course. He was someone who was very clear about his views and his role in machine politics in the Labor Party. He's someone who I certainly regarded as a close friend. And I spoke to Amanda, his wife, earlier today. She said, and he said this to me too, that he wanted to stick around to see Darcy, his son, their son conclude his schooling. And Darcy had his last exam on yesterday afternoon at 5 o'clock and Graham passed away in the early hours of this morning. His friends I've spoken to as well, like Leo McLay, who were lifelong friends and very loyal. One of the things about Graham that struck you was his loyalty, and he is someone who will be dearly missed by his many friends, not just inside the Labor Party, but outside as well.

KNIGHT: The Prime Minister paying tribute to Graham Richardson, who died this morning at the age of 76. And I'm sure a source of counsel to yourself, Prime Minister, as the ultimate Labor team player.

PRIME MINISTER: He was. He was a Labor loyalist. He was very loyal to me and my leadership as well. He said on election night on May 3, he was never in any doubt that we were going to win and win a majority government. He was very confident about that. He's someone who was a great lunch companion, Graham, and he could, he could tell a story and tell a yarn and he was great company. But he was someone who was fiercely loyal to those people around him and in return, he inspired, I think, a great deal of affection

KNIGHT: And I think Australians saw that side of him with his work in the media, on television, he always knew what was going on and it was just always fun to get his take on the events of the day.

PRIME MINISTER: Oh, absolutely. And he, you know, he was loyal without being overly sentimental as well. He had cut through and that part of his character certainly showed. You know, he would say himself he wasn't perfect. He was a larger than life character and he was someone who always, you know, lifted up the spirits of a room where he was. And the restaurants like the Malaya in Sydney, a favourite haunt of his, with many people in the media as well. His insights were always very clear into politics as well. And he's someone who I spoke to, you know, every now and again we would have a chat. He was always worth returning the call of -

KNIGHT: I'm sure, Prime Minister. We're going to hit the news. We can't stop it, even for you. But thank you so much for your time. That's Anthony Albanese.