Anthony Albanese pays tribute to ‘brilliant’ Labor MP Peta Murphy at emotional funeral service
Sport-loving Labor MP Peta Murphy was farewelled at an emotional service at the MCG after she lost her lengthy battle with breast cancer.
Peta Murphy has been remembered as “brilliant” and “no accidental champion” at an emotional funeral at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The 50-year-old federal Labor MP died last week after a fight with metastatic breast cancer.
Anthony Albanese offered an emotional tribute for Ms Murphy, whom he described as the “very best kind of colleague and friend”.
“There are some members of parliament whose contribution earns the grudging respect of the chamber,” the Prime Minister said.
“There are others – rarer still – who win genuine admiration and real affection across the political spectrum.
“Peta Murphy was one of those.
“And it is so hard, so cruel, so unfair, to think we’ll never see her bright and shining smile again.”
Mr Albanese, former prime minister Julia Gillard and former premier Steve Bracks were among the political figures, family and friends who gathered to say goodbye.
The service began with a slide show of photos of Ms Murphy accompanied by Rachel Platten’s Fight Song – Ms Murphy’s pump-up song.
Her husband of more than two decades, Rod Glover, said when Ms Murphy found out that her cancer returned, she had one goal: to reach her 50th birthday.
“She managed that just a few weeks ago when we gathered with family and friends in Frankston,” he said.
Mr Glover said he couldn’t help but feel like “we’ve all been robbed a little” by Ms Murphy’s illness.
“I wish we could all have seen more of what my wife could have done had she’d been healthier,” he said.
Victorian judge Fiona Todd told mourners her friend had a “remarkable consistency of character”.
“She spoke the same way to you whether you were her friend, her client, a Supreme Court judge or a labrador,” she said.
Ms Murphy won preselection to be Labor’s candidate for Dunkley at the 2016 election and was victorious in 2019.
She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. Just two weeks before she was sworn in as an MP, she was told the cancer had returned.
Ms Murphy announced the news in her maiden speech to parliament, vowing to use her platform to benefit others.
“I am neither unique nor alone in the fight I am about to take on,” she said at the time.
Mr Albanese said it was “the best first speech I have ever heard”.
Breast Cancer Network Australia chief executive Kirsten Pilatti said the MP showed that “you can be living with, not dying from, metastatic breast cancer”.
“She used her devastating diagnosis to help make us more visible to influence those empower and to create momentum for very real change,” she said.
“What she did in the final weeks of her life will be an inspiration to all of us within the metastatic community for years to come. And I am truly grateful.”
Before entering parliament, Ms Murphy worked as a barrister and Victorian public defender.
She later worked as chief of staff to Labor frontbencher Brendan O’Connor.
An enthusiastic squash player, Ms Murphy represented NSW, the ACT and Victoria at junior and senior levels.
She went on to win gold medals at the Australian Masters, US Masters and World Masters Games.
Ms Murphy also held the roles of Squash and Racquetball Victoria president and Squash Australia vice-president and was a member of the World Squash Federation governance and audit committee.
As an MP, Ms Murphy was the chair of a parliamentary committee that recommended the federal government introduce a phased, comprehensive ban on online gambling advertising within three years.
Mr Glover touched on her work in his speech.
“Peta knew full well that this would require putting the evidence of the harms caused by gambling to so many Australians ahead of the interests of powerful sports betting companies,” he said.
“If she was here today, she would insist that the government still exists to serve the interests of the people.“
Ms Murphy is survived by her husband Rod, family members Bob, Jan, Jodi and Penni Murphy, and her two dogs – Bert and Ernie.
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