Maurice James Neil was an Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n politician. Born in Manchester, England, he migrated to Australia and attended the University of Sydney

University of Sydney

The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...

. He became a barrister and then migration officer for New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

 in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. He served in the military 1966-75, including time in Vietnam as a Platoon Commander in the Royal Australian Infantry.
In 1975, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives

Australian House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....

 as the Liberal

Liberal Party of Australia

The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...

 member for St George

Division of St George

The Division of St George was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It was located in the southern suburbs of Sydney, and covered the suburbs of Hurstville, Rockdale and Arncliffe....

, narrowly defeating Labor

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...

's Bill Morrison

Bill Morrison (Australian politician)

William Lawrence "Bill" Morrison AO , Australian former politician, was a member of the Australian House of Representatives and a Cabinet minister in the Whitlam government....

 by 56 votes, after distribution of preferences. In 1977, despite an adverse electorate boundary redistribution, he withstood a challenge from the member for Grayndler

Division of Grayndler

The Division of Grayndler is an Australian Electoral Division in inner Metropolitan Sydney, New South Wales. It is one of Australia's smallest electorates, located in the inner-southern Sydney metropolitan area, including parts of the inner-west...

, Tony Whitlam

Tony Whitlam

Antony Philip Whitlam QC, is an Australian lawyer who has served as a politician and judge. He is the son of former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and Margaret Whitlam.-Early life and education:...

, to retain St.George by a majority of 2665 votes, after distribution of preferences. Neil was defeated by Morrison in 1980.
He was a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Australian War Memorial from 31.8.1976 to 30.6.1980 and a Member of the Council of Trustees of the Australian War Memorial from 1.7.1980 to 30.6.1981.