Labor’s candidate for the Dunkley by-election, Jodie Belyea (centre), with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and supporters at the Frankston Bowls Club on 11 January. Photo: Facebook.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that Labor’s candidate in the upcoming Dunkley by-election in southeast Melbourne will be Jodie Belyea.
Ms Belyea will vie for the seat vacated by the death of Peta Murphy on 3 December.
Ms Murphy won Dunkley in 2019 after it had been held by the Liberals since 1996. But just days before being sworn in, she was diagnosed with a recurrence of her breast cancer. She increased her majority to 6.3 per cent in the 2022 election and continued to serve throughout her cancer battle, finally succumbing to the disease less than a week after being in parliament.
The seat includes the suburbs of Frankston, Langwarrin, Seaford, Carrum Downs, Sandhurst and Mount Eliza on the upper Mornington Peninsula.
In an 11 January press conference at the Frankston Bowling Club, where Ms Murphy was a member and patron and where a fundraising day for breast cancer research is held every February, Mr Albanese paid tribute to the late MP.
“The people of Dunkley knew that Peta Murphy was a fighter,” he said.
“She was someone who was determined to make a difference to this local community and I visited this community so many times with Peta … someone who would have made very much an ongoing contribution and a significant contribution as a local member, but also as someone who is respected right across the parliament.”
The Prime Minister said Ms Belyea was recruited to the party by Ms Murphy, who had always been on the lookout for other local champions.
“In Jodie, she has found one,” he said.
“Jodie is someone who will be an outstanding representative for this community here in Dunkley. She lives here, she and her family are based right here. And Jodie will be someone who will be a champion and work hard for her community.”
Ms Belyea said she had big shoes to fill.
“Peta Murphy was an incredibly talented and passionate member that advocated hard for this community,” she said. “I am not going to necessarily be Peta, but I am going to lean into her legacy, committed to making a difference.
“I am not a career politician.
“I am not interested in playing politics. What I am interested in is creating a community that works together through working with governments at all levels, with local businesses and community organisations, bringing the voice of the people from the ground to parliament in Canberra.”
No date has yet been set by the Speaker of the House for the by-election.
