Tribal Affiliations: Te Ātiawa, Taranaki Iwi

A resident of Lower Hutt, Richard is married with two adult daughters.

Richard is currently employed by Hīkoikoi Management in a relationship liaison role. Prior to this he was self-employed for 14 years in his own gardening business and before that he spent 13 years in the public health sector. He is a qualified hearing commissioner for the Resource Management Act and is the Mana Whenua committee member for the Hutt City Council District Plan Review.

Richard served on school Boards of Trustees for 16 years and was the Chairman of the Sacred Heart College Board of Trustees from 2018 to 2023. He is also a musician who has played professionally for nearly 40 years in New Zealand and internationally, and he continues to play locally in various bands.