Frank McManus (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Francis Patrick Vincent McManus (27 February 1905 – 28 December 1983), Australian politician, was the last leader of the parliamentary Democratic Labor Party
and a prominent figure in Australian politics for 30 years.
McManus was born in North Melbourne
, into a working-class family of Irish Catholic background. He was educated at Christian Brothers
schools and the University of Melbourne
(B.A.Hons.Dip.Ed.), where he graduated in arts and education, and became a school teacher. Later he became an official in the Victorian
Department of Education.
In 1950 McManus was appointed Assistant State Secretary of the Australian Labor Party
. The Victorian Branch of the party was then under the control of right-wing forces aligned with B.A. Santamaria's secretive anti-communist "Movement." In this position McManus supported the Industrial Groups which the party had set up within trade unions to combat the influence of the Communist Party of Australia
.
After Labor's defeat in the 1954 federal election, the federal Leader, Dr H.V. Evatt, publicly blamed the Victorian Branch and Santamaria's "Movement" for the defeat, causing a split in the Branch between pro- and anti-Evatt factions which eventually split the whole party. McManus along with hundreds of other "Groupers" was expelled from the ALP. McManus was not expelled from the ALP as a subsequent court case confirmed . They formed the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)
(ALP-AC), which eventually became the Democratic Labor Party
(DLP).
McManus was elected to the Senate
at the 1955 federal election as an ALP (Anti-Communist) candidate, whose ticket polled 17.8 percent of the vote in Victoria. He was defeated in 1961, but re-elected in 1964 and again in 1970. At the 1970 election, campaigning on the slogan "Vote Mac Back", he polled 19.1 percent, the DLP's best-ever result.
In the Senate, the DLP had between one and five Senators between 1955 and 1974, led first by George Cole
of Tasmania
and then by Vince Gair
of Queensland
, with McManus as Deputy Leader. The DLP gave critical support to the Liberal
governments of Robert Menzies
and his successors, pressing them to adopt more militantly anti-communist policies both domestically and internationally, particularly on issues such as the Vietnam War
and the recognition of the People's Republic of China
. They also supported conservative Catholic views on social issues. On some issues, such as pensions, the DLP supported traditional Labor policies.
In 1973, following the election of the Whitlam
Labor government, Gair retired as DLP Leader and was succeeded by McManus, who at 68 was only three years younger than Gair. The election of Whitlam had robbed the DLP of most of its influence, and Gair's acceptance of the post of Ambassador to Ireland from Whitlam split the party and caused a collapse in its support. In 1974 the DLP supported the Liberal leader, Billy Snedden
, in threatening to block the Whitlam government's budget bills in the Senate.
When Whitlam responded by immediately calling an election for both the House and Senate (a double dissolution
), McManus informed the Victorian Central Executive that Billy Snedden
had agreed to the Liberals running a joint Senate ticket with the DLP, which would have guaranteed him a winnable Senate spot. But this joint ticket did not eventuate, and all the DLP Senators lost their seats, McManus polling only 6.4 percent in Victoria.
McManus ran for the Senate again at the 1975 election following the fall of the Whitlam government, but was not elected, his vote falling to 5.8 percent. In 1976 he resigned as leader and the party was wound up in 1978. He died in Melbourne in 1983.
Democratic Labor Party
The Democratic Labor Party is a political party in Australia that espouses social conservatism and opposes neo-liberalism. The first "DLP" Senator in decades, party vice-president John Madigan was elected to the Australian Senate with 2.3 percent of the primary vote in Victoria at the 2010 federal...
and a prominent figure in Australian politics for 30 years.
McManus was born in North Melbourne
North Melbourne, Victoria
North Melbourne is a large inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. It is bounded by the CityLink freeway to the west, Victoria Street to the south, O'Connell and Peel Streets to the east and Flemington Road to the north. Its...
, into a working-class family of Irish Catholic background. He was educated at Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
schools and the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
(B.A.Hons.Dip.Ed.), where he graduated in arts and education, and became a school teacher. Later he became an official in the Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
Department of Education.
In 1950 McManus was appointed Assistant State Secretary of the Australian Labor Party
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...
. The Victorian Branch of the party was then under the control of right-wing forces aligned with B.A. Santamaria's secretive anti-communist "Movement." In this position McManus supported the Industrial Groups which the party had set up within trade unions to combat the influence of the Communist Party of Australia
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
.
After Labor's defeat in the 1954 federal election, the federal Leader, Dr H.V. Evatt, publicly blamed the Victorian Branch and Santamaria's "Movement" for the defeat, causing a split in the Branch between pro- and anti-Evatt factions which eventually split the whole party. McManus along with hundreds of other "Groupers" was expelled from the ALP. McManus was not expelled from the ALP as a subsequent court case confirmed . They formed the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)
Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)
The Australian Labor Party was the name initially used by the right-wing group which split away from the Australian Labor Party in 1955, and which later became the Democratic Labor Party in 1957....
(ALP-AC), which eventually became the Democratic Labor Party
Democratic Labor Party
The Democratic Labor Party is a political party in Australia that espouses social conservatism and opposes neo-liberalism. The first "DLP" Senator in decades, party vice-president John Madigan was elected to the Australian Senate with 2.3 percent of the primary vote in Victoria at the 2010 federal...
(DLP).
McManus was elected to the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
at the 1955 federal election as an ALP (Anti-Communist) candidate, whose ticket polled 17.8 percent of the vote in Victoria. He was defeated in 1961, but re-elected in 1964 and again in 1970. At the 1970 election, campaigning on the slogan "Vote Mac Back", he polled 19.1 percent, the DLP's best-ever result.
In the Senate, the DLP had between one and five Senators between 1955 and 1974, led first by George Cole
George Cole (Australian politician)
George Ronald Cole was an Australian politician. Born in Don, Tasmania, he was raised in the Methodist faith of his mother, educated at state schools and then the University of Tasmania, before becoming a teacher and headmaster in state schools.As an Australian rules footballer with New Town, Cole...
of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and then by Vince Gair
Vince Gair
Vincent Clare "Vince" Gair was an Australian politician. He served as Premier of Queensland from 1952 until 1957, when his stormy relations with the trade union movement saw him expelled from the Australian Labor Party. He was elected to the Australian Senate and led the Democratic Labor Party...
of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, with McManus as Deputy Leader. The DLP gave critical support to 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...
governments of Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
and his successors, pressing them to adopt more militantly anti-communist policies both domestically and internationally, particularly on issues such as the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and the recognition of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. They also supported conservative Catholic views on social issues. On some issues, such as pensions, the DLP supported traditional Labor policies.
In 1973, following the election of the Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
Labor government, Gair retired as DLP Leader and was succeeded by McManus, who at 68 was only three years younger than Gair. The election of Whitlam had robbed the DLP of most of its influence, and Gair's acceptance of the post of Ambassador to Ireland from Whitlam split the party and caused a collapse in its support. In 1974 the DLP supported the Liberal leader, Billy Snedden
Billy Snedden
Sir Billy Mackie Snedden, KCMG, QC was an Australian politician representing the Liberal Party. He was Leader of the Opposition at the 1974 federal election, failing to defeat the Labor incumbent Gough Whitlam.-Early life:...
, in threatening to block the Whitlam government's budget bills in the Senate.
When Whitlam responded by immediately calling an election for both the House and Senate (a double dissolution
Australian electoral system
The Australian electoral system has evolved over nearly 150 years of continuous democratic government, and has a number of distinctive features including compulsory voting, preferential voting and the use of proportional voting to elect the upper house, the Australian Senate.- Compulsory voting...
), McManus informed the Victorian Central Executive that Billy Snedden
Billy Snedden
Sir Billy Mackie Snedden, KCMG, QC was an Australian politician representing the Liberal Party. He was Leader of the Opposition at the 1974 federal election, failing to defeat the Labor incumbent Gough Whitlam.-Early life:...
had agreed to the Liberals running a joint Senate ticket with the DLP, which would have guaranteed him a winnable Senate spot. But this joint ticket did not eventuate, and all the DLP Senators lost their seats, McManus polling only 6.4 percent in Victoria.
McManus ran for the Senate again at the 1975 election following the fall of the Whitlam government, but was not elected, his vote falling to 5.8 percent. In 1976 he resigned as leader and the party was wound up in 1978. He died in Melbourne in 1983.
Further reading
- Frank McManus: The Tumult and The Shouting (memoirs), Rigby 1977