Manfred Cross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Manfred Cross
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| Member of the Australian Parliament for Brisbane |
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| In office 9 December 1961 – 13 December 1975 |
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| Preceded by | George Lawson |
| Succeeded by | Peter Johnson |
| In office 18 October 1980 – 19 February 1990 |
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| Preceded by | Peter Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Arch Bevis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 August 1929 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Died | 31 January 2024 (aged 94) |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Alma mater | University of Queensland |
| Occupation | Public servant |
Manfred Douglas Cross AM (born 12 August 1929 – died 31 January 2024) was an Australian politician. He went to different schools in Brisbane, Queensland. Later, he worked for the Queensland government. In 1961, he became a member of the Australian Parliament.
Early Life and Awards
Manfred Cross was born in Brisbane. His father, Manfred, worked with telegraphs, and his mother, Mary, was a dressmaker. Manfred went to Rainworth State School and Brisbane State High School. He then studied at the University of Queensland. In 1951, he started working for the Queensland government's money department.
On 11 July 1969, he married Barbara. She was also very active in the Labor Party, just like Manfred.
In January 1992, Manfred Cross received an award called the AM. This award recognized his great work in the Australian Parliament and for the community. He also received the Centenary Medal. This was for his long service as a federal politician for Brisbane. It also honored his work in local history and for the rights of Indigenous people.
Manfred Cross passed away on 31 January 2024, at the age of 94.
Time in Parliament
In 1961, Manfred Cross was chosen to represent the area of Brisbane in the Australian House of Representatives. He was a member of the Labor Party. In the 1961 election, many people across Australia voted for the Labor Party. Manfred Cross won his seat easily.
Another Labor politician, Bill Hayden, also won a nearby seat. Bill Hayden later became the leader of the Labor Party and then the Governor-General. Manfred Cross and Bill Hayden shared a small office in Old Parliament House in Canberra. They were well-known politicians from Queensland.
Manfred Cross kept his seat in the elections of 1963, 1966, and 1969. During these years, the Labor Party did not win the government. In 1972, the Labor leader Gough Whitlam won the election. This was the first time Labor had been in government for 23 years.
Manfred Cross was very interested in Aboriginal affairs. He hoped to become the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. However, he did not get enough votes from his party to join the group of ministers. Instead, his colleague, Gordon Bryant, became the Minister.
1975 Election and Later Years
Manfred Cross was the Member for Brisbane until 1975. In the election that year, he lost his seat to Peter Johnson from the Liberal Party. This was a difficult election for the Labor Party in Queensland.
After the 1975 election, Manfred Cross worked to make changes within the Labor Party in Queensland. The party had lost many seats in the state election in 1974. Manfred Cross and other members wanted to improve how the party was run. In 1980, the main Labor Party leaders asked Manfred Cross to help guide these changes in Queensland.
Manfred Cross also tried to get back into the national parliament. He lost to Peter Johnson again in 1977. But he won back his seat in 1980. This was when more people across Australia voted for the Labor Party. Manfred Cross stayed in the House of Representatives until he retired in 1990.
More Information
- Trove, National Library of Australia, Cross, Manfred Douglas (1929 – ).
- Historic Hansard, List of speeches in the House of Representatives by Manfred Cross.
- Parliament of Australia, Biography for Manfred Cross.
- Queensland Speaks, Manfred Cross interviewed by Sue Yarrow, 13 December 2010.
