Tracey Roberts (Pearce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about a story of grief and loss. However, it is also a story of resilience, the comfort of community and the uplifting power of friendship. Within my electorate of Pearce, a milestone has been reached by constituents who are connected by being neighbours and friends who share a common love of music and as musicians earlier in life.

Tony Hughes, who lives in Harbourside Village, in my home town suburb of Mindarie in Western Australia, wrote a song to help his neighbours Colin and Wendy Herbert deal with the immense grief of losing their son Mark to pancreatic cancer last year. The song was part therapy and a gift to Tony's friends, who were left devastated by the death of their beloved son. The song 'Impressions of You' is also a wonderful musical tool to raise awareness of the devastating disease, pancreatic cancer, around the world.

From a small suburb in Perth's north, the song has now been heard around the world after being released globally as the World Pancreatic Day Anthem. 'Impressions of You' has now reached more than 127,000 streams and downloads on YouTube and Vevo. It is also available on music streaming platforms. The World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition submitted the song to the organisers of World Cancer Day, in Geneva, who endorsed it to become an anthem for World Cancer Day 2023. The song was shared across 106 global pancreatic organisations, increasing its reach and impact. The music video was also played at football games around the world, including in England, Scotland, Ireland, Denmark, New Zealand and Australia.

Former professional soccer player Irish midfielder Liam Millar died aged 36 from pancreatic cancer. He had played for clubs including Perth Glory, Brisbane Roar, Melbourne City and Manchester United. Perth Glory helped share the video to other clubs, to honour Liam and other victims of the cancer. Song royalties go to Pancare Foundation Australia, and Tony hopes the song will raise significant funds for early diagnosis and awareness of this aggressive cancer.

Mark Herbert passed away only five months after receiving the tragic news from his doctor. What is also remarkable about this story is that so many people contributed their time to the project free of charge, to write, produce and record the song and music video. That includes opera singer Amy Manford, the Western Australian Screen Academy and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, not forgetting the wonderful Harbourside Village Choir. Parents Colin and Wendy Herbert were once members of the 1960s band Gullivers People and worked with Tony, a former musician, to refresh and complete a song he wrote years ago and turn it into an uplifting piece that honours the memory of Mark.

Last week we learned that pancreatic cancer had claimed another life, Andy Rourke, the guitar player from British band The Smiths, who died aged 59. The Smiths are a band that formed in the early eighties in Manchester, where I was born. The band said:

Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans.

Band member Johnny Marr remembered their time as bandmates and childhood friends:

We were best friends, going everywhere together. When we were 15, I moved into his house with him and his three brothers and I soon came to realise that my mate was one of those rare people that absolutely no-one doesn't like.

Andy and I spent all our time studying music, having fun and working on becoming the best musicians we could possibly be. Andy reinvented what it is to be a guitar player.

The Smiths' front man, Morrisey, paid tribute to his former bandmate:

He will never die as long as his music is heard.

As I speak tonight about a song written within my home electorate to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer, it is evident that music is a powerful medium. That this song has reached more than 127 downloads, is absolutely remarkable.

Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed late, and symptoms can include stomach and back pain and loss of appetite. Purple is the colour associated with raising awareness of pancreatic cancer. I commend Tony, his wife, Janis, Colin and Wendy and everybody who had a role to play in creating this beautiful song and video. You should all be incredibly proud. I honour the memory of Mark Herbert, who died from pancreatic cancer.

The House transcript was published up to 20:00. The remainder of the transcript will be published progressively as it is completed.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Ms Claydon ) took the chair at 09:30.