Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Communications) Share this | Hansard source

There are few people who can say that they contributed as much to their community as Peta Murphy did. In public life, Peta was guided by a sense of equality of opportunity and giving a voice to those who might not otherwise be heard. She was a lawyer, a volunteer at her local community legal centre, a solicitor advocate, a senior public defender at Victoria Legal Aid, and a team leader at the Victorian Law Reform Commission. The thing is: she made all of those contributions before coming to this place—a life well lived before her second life here. Throughout all of that, Peta used her intellect and her deep sense of social justice to improve the lives of others, create a more equitable Victoria and, beyond that, build a better Australia for all.

Looking back to 2019, when she was elected as the first woman to represent the seat of Dunkley, it's now clear that Peta's greatest and most impactful contributions were yet to come. I do recall her maiden speech to parliament, sitting on that side of the chamber in 2019. She spoke of being inspired by Labor values to create opportunities and advocate for those without power or means. Just as the member for Blair said, when new people arrive you note particularly which backbenchers get up and speak on topics, and I remember Peta spoke a lot. But she wasn't speaking to take up space. She was speaking because she was able to do two really unique things: she had a policy sense that went right across portfolios, and she was one of those people—I can name a couple of them in this place—who, if you needed someone to speak to save your life, she would have been one of them. The second thing is she always managed to tie this back to the lived experience of the people that she represented. I think that those contributions are a sign of someone who is made to be in this place to represent people so well.

Peta, of course, had been inspired by previous Labor governments, who showed how good governance can deliver a better future for all. She advocated for all Australian women to get their breasts screened for cancer, and she made a distinct shout-out to all her friends from squash, a game close to her heart and which she championed so well.

2019 was a tough fight for Peta on her health front, and it was a tough fight for Labor at that election. Defiantly, she was the first Labor MP to take the seat of Dunkley in 23 years. There weren't many winners on this side of the chamber on that night, but Peta was one of them, and how fortuitous it was. Winning the seat named after Louisa Dunkley, an early campaigner for equal pay for women, Peta shone a spotlight on women's representation in this place. She was a keen advocate and participant in the Labor women's caucus as well. She took it seriously, not only because of what it meant to have more Labor women in this place; but she took very seriously the women's budget statements that we would issue from both opposition and later from government. She wanted to see the way in which the parliament was accountable to the women and, ultimately, the people of Australia in decisions that were being made.

Peta once said, 'What are you in politics for if it's not to make a difference, and make a difference to other peoples' lives.' And that's exactly what she did. She changed lives, and she changed them every single day in this place by her presence, by her contributions and by being who she was. This was even when her own life proved incredibly difficult. She didn't want to be treated differently. She always put the people of Dunkley first, from the smaller things that made a world of difference—like delivering new music equipment for Patterson River Secondary College in her electorate—through to her tireless campaigning for better health care and awareness.

Through Breast Cancer Network Australia, she helped improve reporting and data mechanisms for people with breast cancer. She delivered funding to train people in her electorate in life-saving CPR. She gave a voice to vulnerable people, raising awareness around online gambling harms and ably chairing the House of Representatives inquiry into online gambling—with the government currently considering the committee's many recommendations. It is heartening that this week the Senate will consider new laws designed to minimise gambling harms by banning the use of credit cards to wager online. These changes will have a positive impact on the lives of countless Australians, and their families, loved ones and communities. This is a proud part of Peta's legacy. I always valued Peta's drive to do better by Australians, and I'll continue to be inspired by her advocacy. The fact that she achieved all of this despite her declining health—I don't actually recall a time when she actually talked about her health. She just kept going, kept participating, and she of course did it with a touch of humour and sarcasm as well.

She once said, 'I would like to be able to say that I left Australian politics—Australian democracy—in better shape than when I joined it.' On behalf of all of us in this House, your constituents and countless Australians, Peta, that's exactly what you've done. The people of Dunkley were so fortunate, were such lucky people, to have a member who listened, advocated and delivered with passion. They will forever be better off for having had the privilege to call you their member for Dunkley, as will we in this place. I send my deepest condolences to her husband, her two dogs—Bert and Ernie—her extended family and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing Peta. May she rest in eternal peace.

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