Rachel WESTAWAY (Prahran) (16:37): I rise today to acknowledge the life, faith and courage of Father Peter Slater and to recognise his ongoing battle with multiple system atrophy, or MSA. In June 2025 Father Peter and his family received the absolutely devastating diagnosis of this awful illness. He had previously been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but after a fall caused by extremely low blood pressure further investigation confirmed that he had MSA, a rare progressive neurological disorder affecting movement, blood pressure, speech, swallowing and, over time, a person’s total independence. Father Peter’s sister Julie McLean is a friend of mine and a constituent. Julie has spoken with deep love and admiration of her brother Peter. From the age of eight, after receiving his first Holy Communion, Peter knew he wanted to become a priest. He went on to devote his life to the priesthood, serving parish communities across the Sale diocese. In May 2025 he marked 50 years of ordination, receiving a special papal blessing from Pope Francis. Although his illness has changed his life profoundly, Father Peter still celebrates mass each day and continues to serve others at Shanagolden aged care. That is the kind of man he is.