Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Hansard source

Can I join the many fine words that have been spoken today on the sad, sad death of Peta Murphy. I don't know when I got to know Peta. I assume it was just travelling to and from Victoria. It might have been here. I think it probably happened because two country people just began chatting, passing the time, and began to be able to share experiences and share time together. And, I must say, from the moment I first got to know Peta, I was just struck by her honesty, by her openness, by the breadth of her smile and by her warmth. She was someone who, no matter what was going on, what was taking place and what had occurred in this place, you could always just have a friendly chat with about things.

The last time I did that was about three or four weeks ago, when we caught a plane together back from Canberra to Melbourne, and we sat and we chatted. We just chatted about various things: what had gone on that week, what her plans were for the next week and how things were going. It was the normal sort of conversation that you would have with someone, and she was so easy to strike up a conversation with. There were no pretensions, and there was no ego. She was just someone who was happy to be naturally herself. The thing that has struck me more than anything as I've seen Peta, especially over the last couple of years, is her extraordinary courage. I think the words we've heard today absolutely demonstrate that, beyond anything.

Last week we saw the very moving words by the member for Gippsland, which he had the great fortune to be able to deliver in person to Peta, looking her in the eyes. I think all of us here in this place now look back and wish that we could have had that opportunity. Can I say to the member for Gippsland, on behalf of all of us in this chamber, thank you for those fine words, because they were fine words indeed. The way that Peta took those words and understood those words and the smile that lit her face up from them showed her extraordinary courage, because she knew that death was coming. She knew that death was around the corner, yet the courageous way in which she turned up here, and the courageous way in which she accepted that the time was coming, was truly, truly remarkable. A lesson for all of us is that, even in the darkest hour, you can be a person of strength, you can be a person of conviction and you can still think not only of yourself but of others.

From hearing the stories today, it is not only that courage that has struck me—because it is just truly remarkable—but it's her courage in other ways as well. That damn disease cancer, that evil disease cancer, also took away any opportunity her and her loving husband, Rod, would have to have children, yet, rather than be bitter about that, she had the real courage to put all her passion and love into other people's children. That, once again, shows an incredibly remarkable person, someone who not only doesn't let adversity get them down, doesn't let adversity make them become bitter and doesn't let adversity make them become twisted but, rather, tries to see the good out of the card that they've been dealt. That, once again, is truly, truly courageous.

We saw other instances of it as well, and one of the things that will always stick with me was her interrogation of a CEO—I think it was Sportsbet's—in that Senate inquiry. I'm someone who will openly confess that I like a bet. But, I must say, one of the things that I find very disappointing is when I hear stories about those who win, through genuine research and genuine work, yet these betting agencies, using the algorithms that they have and everything else, basically shut them down. Really, all they want to be doing is making sure they're taking the money from those that lose. Her questioning along these lines was an absolute delight to see because it went to the heart of what is wrong with all of this online gambling and, especially, what is wrong with just using algorithms to try and make pure profit from some people and to stop others, who genuinely like the fun of the punt, from being able to be successful. I will hold that with me for the rest of my life and I still smile when I picture the vision of that questioning.

I say to the Prime Minister: we could see your emotion today and we can see how upset you are, and, to you and all your Labor party colleagues, I express my condolences because you have truly lost someone who, we've heard and seen, you all loved and who touched you, just as she touched many on this side. The reference to Pippi Longstocking was a really lovely one and really touching. I think it said so much about Peta.

To her husband, Rod, and to all the extended family and to her parents, I pass on my condolences. Fifty is far too young an age to die, and what we have to do now collectively as a parliament is to make sure that Peta's courage does not go to waste. We have to make sure that we honour her passing by making sure we can do everything we can to ensure that women don't have to suffer what she has suffered, and also to adhere to that message that she said to us males in this parliament: make sure you listen to your body and look after your health as well.

Peta will be dearly, dearly missed. She will leave a gaping whole in this parliament, and can I just add my condolences to everyone else's who has spoken in this place—to her family, to her loving husband, Rod. May she rest in peace.

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