Denis Murphy (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Denis Murphy was an Australian Labor Party
politician, historian and biographer.
Murphy taught as an academic at the University of Queensland
, writing extensively on the history of Labor in that state. Along with Peter Beattie
, he was the leading figure in the push during the late 1970s to have the Queensland branch of the party reformed. After the success of the reform movement, and intervention from the party's federal headquarters, he became State Branch President.
He was elected to the Parliament of Queensland
for the electorate of Stafford
at the 1983 state election.
Murphy completed biographies on a number of Queensland Labor figures, notably Thomas J. Ryan and Bill Hayden
. He was working on a biography of Andrew Fisher
before his death.
Murphy was diagnosed with cancer in 1983 and died in 1984, aged 47. He died before having the opportunity to make a speech as a Member of Parliament.
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
politician, historian and biographer.
Murphy taught as an academic at the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
, writing extensively on the history of Labor in that state. Along with Peter Beattie
Peter Beattie
Peter Douglas Beattie , Australian politician, was the 36th Premier of the Australian state of Queensland for nine years and leader of the Australian Labor Party in that state for eleven and a half years...
, he was the leading figure in the push during the late 1970s to have the Queensland branch of the party reformed. After the success of the reform movement, and intervention from the party's federal headquarters, he became State Branch President.
He was elected to the Parliament of Queensland
Parliament of Queensland
The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen and the Legislative Assembly. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been...
for the electorate of Stafford
Electoral district of Stafford
The district of Stafford is a Queensland Legislative Assembly electoral district in the state of Queensland, Australia.It is located in the inner northern residential suburbs of Brisbane. Suburbs in the electorate include Stafford, Chermside, Gordon Park, Kedron, Lutwyche, Stafford Heights and...
at the 1983 state election.
Murphy completed biographies on a number of Queensland Labor figures, notably Thomas J. Ryan and Bill Hayden
Bill Hayden
William George "Bill" Hayden AC was the 21st Governor-General of Australia. Prior to this, he represented the Australian Labor Party in parliament; he was a minister in the government of Gough Whitlam, and later became Leader of the Opposition, narrowly losing the 1980 federal election to the...
. He was working on a biography of Andrew Fisher
Andrew Fisher
Andrew Fisher was an Australian politician who served as the fifth Prime Minister on three separate occasions. Fisher's 1910-13 Labor ministry completed a vast legislative programme which made him, along with Protectionist Alfred Deakin, the founder of the statutory structure of the new nation...
before his death.
Murphy was diagnosed with cancer in 1983 and died in 1984, aged 47. He died before having the opportunity to make a speech as a Member of Parliament.
External links
- http://www.library.uq.edu.au/fryer/denis_murphy/visionary.html Denis Murphy display at the University of Queensland Library