Oswald "Ossie" Cruse  is an Australian activist and Aboriginal elder.

Cruse was born in 1933 in Orbost, Victoria. He became active in the area of Aboriginal rights after the 1967 Australian referendum, touring Africa with former prime minister Gough Whitlam and becoming a member of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples.

Cruse was created a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1977 Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours and a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2001 Australia Day Honours.

References

Further reading
Quentin McDermott, Uncle Ossie Cruse: One of Australia's last 'great Aboriginal patriarchs', Australian Story, ABC News 2 Jul 2017
Member Profile: Ossie and “BJ” Cruse, 25 September 2015, New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council.

External links
Ossie Cruse, Australian Story episode, 3 July 2017 ABC TV.

Living people
1933 births
Australian activists
Members of the Order of Australia
Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire
Australian Aboriginal elders