Peta Murphy

Summary

Peta Jan Murphy (1 November 1973 – 4 December 2023) was an Australian politician. She was a member of the House of Representatives from 2019 until her death in 2023, representing the Victorian seat of Dunkley for the Australian Labor Party (ALP).[1]

Peta Murphy
Murphy in 2019
Member of the House of Representatives for Dunkley
Elections: 2016, 2019, 2022
In office
18 May 2019 – 4 December 2023
Preceded byChris Crewther
Succeeded byJodie Belyea
Personal details
Born
Peta Jan Murphy

(1973-11-01)1 November 1973
Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia
Died4 December 2023(2023-12-04) (aged 50)
Frankston, Victoria, Australia
Political partyLabor
Spouse
Rod Glover
(m. 1999)
Alma mater
ProfessionBarrister
Websitewww.petamurphy.net

Early life and education edit

Peta Jan Murphy was born in Goulburn, New South Wales, on 1 November 1973.[2] She held Bachelor of Science (Psychology) and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the Australian National University, and a Master of Criminology degree from the University of Melbourne.[3]

Early career edit

Prior to entering parliament, Murphy worked variously as a solicitor, barrister, Senior Public Defender at Victoria Legal Aid, Team Leader at the Victorian Law Reform Commission and as Chief of Staff to Labor Shadow Minister Brendan O'Connor MP.[2][4][5][6][7][8]

Politics edit

Murphy first stood for Dunkley at the 2016 election on the retirement of Bruce Billson, gaining a 4.1% swing but losing to Liberal candidate Chris Crewther.[9]

Murphy ran again in the 2019 election and with the benefit of an electoral redistribution that turned Dunkley from a marginal Liberal seat into a notionally marginal Labor seat, along with a further 1.7% swing, was successful, becoming the first ALP member for Dunkley since 1996 and the first woman to represent the seat.[10][11] She was a member of the House of Representatives Social and Legal Affairs Committee, the House of Representative Economics Committee and the House of Representatives Select Selection Committee.[2]

Murphy was an advocate for breast screening and early diagnosis of cancer[12][13][14] and in her maiden speech spoke of her commitment to healthcare and creating employment opportunities in Melbourne's outer suburbs.[15]

Murphy worked with Breast Cancer Network Australia to promote better treatment and understanding of cancer.[16][17] Along with Lucy Wicks, former Liberal Member for Robertson, Murphy established the Parliamentary Friends of Women's Health in 2021 to provide a bi-partisan platform.[17][18]

Murphy was re-elected with an increased margin at the 2022 Australian federal election.[19]

Personal life edit

Murphy was born in Goulburn, New South Wales.[2] She married Rod Glover in 1999.[20]

Murphy played softball in the National League[21][22] and represented NSW, ACT, Victoria and the Mornington Peninsula at the junior and senior level for squash. She was a past winner of the Australian 35+y Masters Squash, the US 35+y Masters Squash and the gold medal winner at the World Masters Games for 35+ years squash.[23][24][25][26] She was a previous President of Squash Victoria, Vice President of Squash Australia and member of the World Squash Federation Governance and Audit Committee.[27][28] Murphy also served on the board of local Community Legal Centres, Peninsula Health and the Peninsula Waves.[29]

Murphy was the Patron of the Frankston City Bowls Club and the Frankston Vietnam Veterans Association.[30]

Health and death edit

Murphy was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, at the age of 37. The cancer recurred around the time of her being sworn in to parliament in July 2019.[31][32] She died from cancer at her home in Frankston on 4 December 2023, at the age of 50.[33]

In February 2024, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese opened the new "Peta Murphy Breast Imaging Suite" at Frankston Hospital, in honour of Murphy’s contribution to cancer awareness and advocacy.[34]

References edit

  1. ^ "Qualification checklist" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "Ms Peta Murphy MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  3. ^ Australian Parliament biography: https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=133646
  4. ^ Melbourne, University of (17 May 2019). "The different faces and missions of Peta Murphy". The Junction. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Dear Peta". www.bcna.org.au. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Appendix A: Advisory committee members | Victorian Law Reform Commission". www.lawreform.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  7. ^ Lawyers, By. "Our Authors". Obiter. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Victims of Crime in the Criminal Trial Process | Victorian Law Reform Commission". www.lawreform.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  9. ^ "House of Representatives division information". Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  10. ^ "House of Representatives division information". Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Bittersweet victory for new Labor MP Peta Murphy". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  12. ^ "Frankston Bowling Club". BCNA Pink Sports Day. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Cancer fundraiser a success". Bayside News. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  14. ^ Clun, Rachel (23 February 2021). "Why a Labor backbencher with breast cancer volunteered to get a COVID-19 vaccine". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  15. ^ "First Speech: Ms Peta Murphy MP".
  16. ^ "Breast Cancer Network Australia". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  17. ^ a b "Media alert: Parliamentary friends for Women's Health". Medianet. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Parliamentary Friendship Groups (non-country)". www.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Dunkley (Key Seat) - Federal Electorate, Candidates, Results". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  20. ^ Boecker, Brianna (4 December 2023). "'Advocating always for others': Labor MP Peta Murphy has died". Women's Agenda. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Commodores: two each way". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 18 November 1992. p. 42. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Magnums' mixed results in Adelaide". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 31 January 1995. p. 22. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  23. ^ "Squash Ladies Results - FINALS 15 October 2009 - Sydney 2009 World Masters Games". GameDay. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  24. ^ "Mornington Peninsula dominate at the Hopman Cup". Squash & Racquetball Victoria. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  25. ^ "Murphy aims for a slam Dunkley". The Standard | Journalism@Swinburne. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  26. ^ "Club Locker". clublocker.com. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  27. ^ "Peta Murphy recognised at 2017 Women in Sport Breakfast". Squash & Racquetball Victoria. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  28. ^ "Oceania Squash Federation, Who We Are". www.oceaniasquash.org. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  29. ^ "Past Publications". Peninsula Health. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  30. ^ "Patron Frankston City BC" (PDF). Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  31. ^ Lowrey, Tom (24 July 2019). "Labor MP Peta Murphy receives cancer diagnosis two weeks before first speech". ABC News. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  32. ^ Harris, Rob (24 July 2019). "'Cancer sucks': MP delivers pointed maiden speech, two weeks after diagnosis". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  33. ^ Worthington, Brett (4 December 2023). "Labor MP Peta Murphy dies years after breast cancer diagnosis". ABC News. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  34. ^ https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/8508527/pm-honours-late-mp-on-dunkley-by-election-hustings/

 

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Dunkley
2019–2023
Succeeded by