Tireless advocate Peta Murphy farewelled by Labor heavyweights

Anthony Albanese has led the farewells for Labor MP Peta Murphy at an emotionally wrought funeral service in which her family and friends remembered her ‘tenacious advocacy’.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has led an emotional farewell for late Labor MP Peta Murphy. Picture: Sam Bisso

Anthony Albanese has led an emotional farewell for late Labor MP Peta Murphy recalling her “grace and courage” at a moving funeral service in which her family and friends remembered her “tenacious advocacy” and “authenticity”.

In front of a packed hall of Labor figures including Julia Gillard, Jim Chalmers and Mark Dreyfus, the Prime Minister described Ms Murphy as a wonderful local member for Dunkley whose death at 50 from metastatic breast cancer had denied Australia “more of what Peta had to give”.

“It is so true to Peta’s character that she channelled her personal battle with breast cancer into public policy, never thinking of herself, always tenaciously advocating for others, championing better services and more work on early detection and a national register for metastatic cancer,” Mr Albanese said.

Ms Murphy’s husband Rod Glover said the respected former defence lawyer and barrister had passed away earlier this month in the same way as she had lived, with “dignity, courage and sarcasm”.

In an emotional speech often punctuated by tears, he recalled how Ms Murphy had insisted on continuing in her work as an MP for as long as she “physically could”, attending parliament and asking a question in question time just a week before she died. He said her goal had been to live to see her 50th birthday.

“Peta had been much sicker for much longer than she let on,” he said.

“But she was adamant that she was living with cancer, not dying with cancer.”

Mr Glover thanked Mr Albanese for being the first to call him after Ms Murphy passed away on Monday, December 4, saying that he had “burst into tears and (Mr Albanese) simply cried with me”.

He also thanked the 83 MPs from both sides of politics who paid tribute to Ms Murphy in a special sitting of parliament last week, touching on Mr Dreyfus’s outburst at a press conference that same day.

“Peta would have been proud of you and she would have been filthy at those showing you less sensitivity and understanding on that day,” he said.

Ms Murphy’s sisters, Jodi and Penni, paid tribute to their older sister and read comments from her young nieces and nephews about how they will remember their “superhero” aunt as “strong, confident, brave and inspiring”.

They also spoke about how she insisted on dying at home and fought to the end for her independence.

Peta Murphy was a fearless advocate for women with breast cancer. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Ms Murphy’s friend and fellow lawyer Fiona Todd remembered her former colleague for her “hunger for justice” and “authenticity” which endeared her to judges and clients alike.

“She worked extremely hard, and was brilliant,” she said.

“Peta was disagreeable in the best sense of that word. She had an independence of intellect that made her insist on asking, plainly and without fear, the real question inside any problem, legal or personal.”

Ms Murphy’s father Bob also addressed the crowd in a speech at times broken up with laughter as he recalled his daughter as a fierce and intelligent “kid from Wagga Wagga” who had insisted she “was nothing special”.

“I fundamentally disagree with you that you weren’t good and you weren’t special – in fact, you were bloody awesome,” he said.

Breast Cancer Network Australia chief executive Kirsten Pilatti also paid tribute to Ms Murphy for her fearless advocacy for women with breast cancer.

Ms Murphy was first diagnosed with breast cancer at 37 and was re-diagnosed in 2019, just days after being sworn in as an MP.