But Peta Murphy, Labor's new MP for the outer Melbourne seat of Dunkley, has kept her chin up in her first speech to parliament, vowing to use her public platform to help others.

"Ladies, check your breasts. Men, stop ignoring what your body is telling you," she told the lower house on Wednesday.

"Fellow members of parliament - listen to the experts who warn that the promise of universal health care is under threat."

Ms Murphy was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 just before she was due to move to San Francisco with her husband Rod.

"Cancer sucks," she said.

"The treatments can make you sick. Sometimes you are scared, sometimes you are angry. In my experience, often you are both at the same time."

The diagnosis resulted in Ms Murphy and her husband moving to the electorate of Dunkley to be near his family, citing it as the "best decision we ever made".

She was a candidate for the seat at the 2016 election, losing to Liberal Chris Crewther before clinching the spot from him at the May election.

Her win is the first for Labor in the seat since 1993.

The former barrister and Victorian public defender used her first speech to call for a bill of rights, preservation of the environment, secure jobs in the future and for equality to be protected.

Ms Murphy's experience with cancer has also fuelled her health care advocacy, urging her colleagues to reform and fund the system.

"Do whatever is required to ensure that Australia trains, retains and invests in the health care professionals and researchers who make our system great," she said.

The new politician was most recently chief of staff for fellow Labor MP Brendan O'Connor, whom she thanked for being a mentor and friend.

Ms Murphy drew on her extensive legal experience in her speech, describing the "corrosive effect" intergenerational disadvantage can have on people, families and communities.

"Justice cannot be left to the justice system alone," she said.

"To really find justice in our society, to break the cycle of disadvantage and dysfunction, we need to take a holistic and long-term approach."

She said the best way to start making a difference is for the public education system to be at its best.

Australian Associated Press