Denis Murphy

Who was Denis Murphy?

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.