Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Peta Murphy, a Labor MP from NSW, died due to cancer.
At a press conference in Canberra, he choked up as he talked about her passing.
She had reportedly passed away at her home with her husband, Rod, by her side.
In his statement, the Prime Minister said that all of the members of the Labor family are broken-hearted over the loss of Peta.
She was first diagnosed with cancer in 2011. She was only sworn in as the new member for Dunkley in 2019 and was immediately told that her cancer had returned.
In her first speech in parliament, she said that she was neither unique nor alone in her battle against cancer.
She vowed to continue fighting the disease and use her position to help others.
In 2011, Ms Murphy said that cancer was a cruel disease that affected her body and her emotions.
She noted that the treatments for her illness had made her feel sick. She also said that she worried about her friends and family.
Mr Albanese broke down in tears as he talked about Peta’s legacy. He noted that she was an inspiration to her colleagues and the best kind of friend.
He said that she was an inspiration to all of her colleagues. She was also a passionate individual who was dedicated to fighting for the causes that she believed in.
As a member of the Labor Party, she was able to lead the charge for various reforms. One of these was the reduction of the harmful effects of online gambling.
Mr Albanese went on to say that Peta was a passionate individual who had a strong and generous heart.
The Prime Minister’s statement came after the news of her death was announced, just a week after she had gone to Canberra for the final sitting of the year.
According to Mr Albanese, she was very sick at the time of her visit to Canberra.
Despite this, Peta was still able to attend the launch of a report about breast cancer in Australia.
It was a fitting tribute to her character that she used her position to fight against the disease.