Richard Alex Gordon Dalla-Riva (born 6 April 1963) is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 2002 to 2018, representing East Yarra Province (2002–2006) and Eastern Metropolitan Region (2006–2018). He served as Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations and Minister for Manufacturing in the Baillieu Ministry from 2010 to 2013, but was dropped in a reshuffle when Denis Napthine replaced Baillieu as Premier. Dalla-Riva was born in the regional town of Orbost, but grew up in Beechworth, before moving to Melbourne. After graduating from the Macleod High School (now Macleod College), he joined the police force, and was promoted to the rank of detective in 1988. He worked in a number of areas associated with financial crime, including the major fraud and asset recovery squads, and also spent time working for the National Crime Authority. While still working in the police force, he studied business at the Phillip Institute of Technology (now part of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology). In 1995, after seven years as a detective, Dalla-Riva left the police force, and entered the private sector. He held various managerial roles at Woolworths Limited, before becoming the General Manager for a national food manufacturer. Later, Dalla-Riva became the Group Manager for a large disability service before becoming the State Regional Manager for a US multi-national company. He received an MBA from the University of Southern Queensland in 1998. Richard Dalla-Riva has demonstrated a keen interest in community work and is currently involved in the following community organisations: the Essendon Football Club; Melbourne Cricket Club; Veneto Club Melbourne; Australia Day Council Victoria Inc. Dalla-Riva is the former Vice President of Kindergarten Parents’ Victoria Inc. In 2000, Dalla-Riva began to take an active political role, becoming chairman of the Liberal Party's electorate council for East Yarra Province. His active role was rewarded when he won Liberal pre-selection to contest the seat at the 2002 election. He was elected amidst a major swing against the Liberal Party, with the loss of many seats across the state. Dalla-Riva was appointed Shadow Minister for the corrections portfolio, covering the state's prison system. In this role, he attacked alleged overcrowding in prisons. In January 2004, Dalla-Riva was given the additional portfolio of scrutiny of government, replacing David Davis, who had been recently promoted. This saw Dalla-Riva handed the responsibility of investigating government mismanagement and playing a