‘I am neither unique nor alone’: Peta Murphy’s brave pledge as she took on cancer

The former solicitor, barrister and senior public defender used every moment of her 4.5 years as an MP to make good on her pledge to use her platform to benefit others.

Peta Murphy has died at the age of 50. Picture: Sam Bisso

When Peta Murphy gave her first speech as a newly elected MP in July 2019, she was bravely philosophical about the cancer with which she had been rediagnosed just a fortnight earlier.

The Victorian Labor MP, whose life was taken by that cancer on Monday, little more than a month after her 50th birthday, quoted her mother, Jan, “a Murphy by marriage, not birth, and therefore able to adopt a less pessimistic personal motto”.

She observed that Jan would say, “Everything happens for a reason”.

“I am neither unique nor alone in the fight that I am about to take on,” Ms Murphy declared.

“Cancer Australia estimates that in 2019 just over 19,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 145,000 Australians will be diagnosed with some form of cancer.

“I am neither unique nor alone, but I am someone who has a platform that can be used to benefit others. And as long as the people of Dunkley continue to vote for me to represent them in this place, I intend to use it.”

Ms Murphy in Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The former solicitor, barrister and senior public defender used every moment of her 4.5 years as an MP to do just that, asking questions in parliament as recently as last week, before she died at home in Frankston in her outer southeastern Melbourne electorate.

Speaking through tears, ­Anthony Albanese broke the news of Ms Murphy’s death at a press conference on Monday afternoon, saying she had passed away a short time ago.

“Every one of us in the Labor family is broken-hearted by the death of our beloved Peta,” the Prime Minister said.

Mr Albanese said Ms Murphy had determination, passion and ­“absolute authenticity”, and had so much more to offer.

“Right up to last week, she was asking questions in the House, raising awareness of issues she cared about and standing up for the community she was so proud to represent,” he said.

“She helped lead the charge for important reforms like reducing the harm from online gambling, because she understood the greatest privilege of public office is the opportunity to make a difference.”

Mr Albanese said Ms Murphy had advocated for a national registry for metastatic cancer patients.

Anthony Albanese holds a press conference announcing the death of Ms Murphy. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Such was her dedication to this cause that’s why she was here last week in Canberra. She was clearly very much not well. She had some devastating diagnoses and went through a range of treatments,” he said.

“But she travelled to Canberra last week to try to launch the ­national report. As ill as she was, she was again thinking of others. It was so true to Peta’s character she channelled her personal battle with breast cancer into public ­policy.”

In an interview with The Australian in February as she returned to parliament for the year with her head shaved after receiving her first three rounds of intravenous chemotherapy, Ms Murphy brushed off the juggle of battling cancer while working doggedly as an MP and fierce ­advocate, by saying “we’re all exhausted”.

“I think I’m just probably a little bit more exhausted than normal, if that’s possible,” she said.

“All of us, particularly women … are used to pushing through when we’re exhausted.”

Ms Murphy said she decided not to wear a wig after losing her hair because she wanted to be open about her cancer ­diagnosis.

“I see the privileged position I’m in, in parliament, as an opportunity to be an advocate and raise the issue and say to other women in the same situation: ‘We do see you, we do understand what you’re going through and I’m going through it too’,” she said.

Mr Albanese and Ms Murphy at the Australian Open in January. Picture: Getty Images

Public-school educated in the NSW Riverina town of Wagga Wagga, Ms Murphy studied psychology and law at the Australian National University and completed a Masters in Criminology at the University of Melbourne, practising as a solicitor before working as a justice and arts adviser to Labor frontbencher Duncan Kerr.

She returned to law in the early 2000s as a solicitor advocate working with renowned criminal lawyer — now magistrate — Robert Stary, before being admitted to the Victorian Bar, working as a senior public defender for Legal Aid, and later as a senior advocate for the Victorian Law Reform Commission.

In 2016 Ms Murphy ran for Labor following the resignation of Liberal veteran Bruce Billson after 20 years as a popular local member for Dunkley. She achieved a 4.14 per cent swing but lost to ­Billson’s replacement Chris ­Crewther.

With some help from a redistribution which made the seat notionally Labor, she defeated Mr Crewther in 2019, having spent the intervening term as chief of staff to frontbencher Brendan O’Connor.

Her fierce advocacy for the people of Dunkley was rewarded in 2022 with a 3.53 per cent swing towards Labor — more than double the statewide swing — ensuring the ALP enters the forthcoming by-election with a 6.27 per cent buffer.

Ms Murphy’s tireless work as a local member, in areas ranging from gambling and law reform to gender equality, took place in the shadow of her breast cancer.

First diagnosed in 2011 at the age of 37, Ms Murphy believed she had beaten the cancer into remission after a years-long battle, but received the news in mid 2019, two days after being sworn in as an MP, that the cancer had not only returned but metastasised.

Colleagues and friends from across parliament and beyond lined up to pay tribute to Ms Murphy on Monday.

She is survived by her husband Rod Glover, parents Bob and Jan, and sisters Jodi and Penni.