Cross and Hayden, both Labor Party backbenchers in the Federal parliament throughout most of the 1960s, shared a small room in Parliament House in Canberra (now known as "Old Parliament House") and were well-known members from Queensland in the parliament.[4][timestamp needed]
Cross held the seat of Brisbane in the 1963, 1966, and 1969 elections when Labor failed to win government. In 1972, Labor leader Gough Whitlam won the election and the formed the first Labor Government in Australia for 23 years. As a backbencher, Cross had taken a close interest in Aboriginal affairs and had hoped to become Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in the Whitlam Government. However, he narrowly failed to win election to the Ministry and his colleague from Victoria, Gordon Bryant, became Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in the government.[citation needed]
1975 election
Cross held the seat of Brisbane until 1975. In the federal election that year he was defeated by Liberal challenger Peter Johnson amid Labor's meltdown in Queensland in the election; Labor was cut down to only one seat in Queensland with Hayden holding on narrowly for Labor in Oxley. Although Cross led Johnson in early voting, he did not win a clear majority on the first count. The seat was decided after the allocation of preferences. In the third round of preferential counting, a National Country candidate's preferences flowed overwhelmingly to Johnson. The National Country Party had begun contesting seats in the Brisbane area in order to broaden its base.[citation needed]
Later elections and political life
Cross in 2010
During the 1970s and later, Cross was active in efforts to reform the Labor Party in Queensland. Following a severe loss that the Labor Party suffered in the state election in Queensland in 1974, there was growing support for reform of the organisation of the party. Cross, along with colleagues such as Peter Beattie, Di Fingleton, Kev Hooper and Denis Murphy, was one of the activists who supported moves for change. In March 1980 the National Executive of the Labor Party intervened in the management of the party at the state level and appointed Manfred Cross as an interim Queensland Branch Secretary to help guide the reform process.[5]
During this period, Cross continued to work for re-election to the national parliament as the member for Brisbane. He narrowly lost to Peter Johnson in a 1977 rematch but succeeded in regaining the seat in 1980 when there was a nation-wide swing towards Labor with Hayden as leader. Cross remained in the parliament as a member of the House of Representatives until his retirement in 1990.[6]
Later life
From 1989 until 1996, Cross was the Chairman of the Library Board of Queensland.[7]
In January 1992, Cross was awarded an AM in recognition of his service to the Australian Parliament and to the community. [8] He was also awarded the Centenary Medal, for long service as federal member for Brisbane, to local history and to Indigenous rights.[9]
Cross died on 30 January 2024, at the age of 94.[10][11][7]
^"Bill Hayden". Queensland Speaks, The Centre for the Government of Queensland. University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
^Extensive details are in Yarrow, op.cit. See Yarrow, p. 49, for a list of Labor activities who worked to initiate reform.
^"Mr Manfred Douglas CROSS". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Australian Honours. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
^"Centenary Medal list". Courier Mail. 26 April 2003. p. 32.
^"Mr Manfred Cross". K. M. Smith Funeral Directors. Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
