▁a ▁prominent ▁figure ▁in ▁Australian ▁politics ▁for ▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Mc Man us ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁North ▁Melbourne , ▁into ▁a ▁working - class ▁family ▁of ▁Irish ▁Catholic ▁background . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁three ▁boys ▁to ▁Patrick , ▁a ▁w agon ▁driver ▁and ▁Ger tr ude ▁his ▁wife . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Christian ▁Brothers ▁schools , ▁including ▁St ▁Mary ' s ▁Primary ▁School , ▁West ▁Melbourne , ▁St . ▁Joseph ' s , ▁C BC ▁North ▁Melbourne ▁( 1 9 1 8 – 1 9 2 2 ), ▁and ▁St ▁Kevin ' s ▁College , ▁Melbourne . ▁Following ▁his ▁secondary ▁school ing , ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁assistance ▁of ▁a ▁scholar ship , ▁he ▁attended ▁New man ▁College ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Melbourne ▁where ▁he ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ( H on ors ) ▁and ▁Di pl oma ▁of ▁Education ▁which ▁allowed ▁him ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁school ▁teacher . ▁Later ▁he ▁became ▁an ▁official ▁in ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Department ▁of ▁Education . ▁ ▁Political ▁life ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁Mc Man us ▁was ▁appointed ▁Ass istant ▁State ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Labor ▁Party . ▁The ▁Victor ian ▁Branch ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁was ▁then ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁right - wing ▁forces ▁aligned ▁with ▁B . ▁A . ▁Sant am aria ' s ▁secret ive ▁anti - comm un ist ▁" M ov ement ." ▁In ▁this ▁position ▁Mc Man us ▁supported ▁the ▁Indust rial ▁Gr oups ▁which ▁the ▁party ▁had