Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

On 8 August 2022, Australia and, indeed, the world learned of Olivia Newton-John's passing. While we recognise her great contribution as an Australian artist, she was an Australian artist who had an impact the world over. Born in Cambridge, England, she emigrated to Melbourne as a young child. I learnt when researching this that she went to primary school with Daryl Braithwaite, another Aussie talent. It was in these early years of Aussie education that she was drawn to performing, and so many of us are so fortunate that she was. Her talent took her across Europe with a range of different joint and solo acts.

It was in 1978 that she took the role of Sandy in the film adaptation of the musical Grease. That changed her life, and it changed cinema. It was also such a huge moment for Australians, seeing an Australian accent in a big-budget blockbuster film. Grease became the biggest box office hit of 1978. The soundtrack was arguably even bigger. Then, from that film onward, Olivia's image was known across the world.

Her musical career then transitioned in the 1980s. Xanadu, the musical fantasy film which draws strong opinions in this place, baptised the decade in that year of 1980. It was one contribution. But it was the breakthrough double-platinum album Physical which really cemented her status as an international pop icon. She managed to get that song banned by two Utah radio stations during the peak of its popularity. Artists have to try a lot harder to have their music banned today.

She was a well-known Carlton supporter. Clearly, one of her proudest achievements was to perform at the 1986 VFL grand final between Carlton and Hawthorn.

Then her life changed again in 1992, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She would take that in her stride and become known globally as an advocate for people affected by breast cancer. In large part, she drove large investments in breast cancer research. She knew the grief, she knew the illness and she connected so deeply with many Australians who were going through that grief and illness themselves. Again, she touched the lives of so many, but, in particular, she touched the lives of people here in Australia.

I just want to share a few of her reflections on some of those iconic moments I mentioned. When talking about the success of Grease she said: 'The young kids are rediscovering it every 10 years or so, it seems.' That definitely has been true over the 44 years during which that film has been out in the public, and I'm sure that, in the future, every 10 years or so, that film will continue to be rediscovered. People will read it in different ways from how it was read when it was first written, but it still is one of those great, iconic musicals with a uniquely Australian flavour.

On her illness, she reflected: 'My cancer scare changed my life. I'm grateful for every new, healthy day I have. It has helped me prioritise my life.' And, again, prioritise her life she did. She chose to be an advocate for people who were experiencing illness. She chose to advocate for recognising that we could do so much more for those who are suffering from breast cancer. She chose to advocate that that doesn't have to be the norm and that, through research and through investment—philanthropic, business and government—we can start to shift the dial on that disease that still, to this day, affects too many.

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