Wikipedia

Peta Murphy

Not to be confused with Peter Murphy.

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 Australian Parliament for Dunkley
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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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  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
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