Labor claims Bullwinkel, cementing grip on the West
Labor believes Trish Cook has made history after the party claimed victory in Bullwinkel, Western Australia's newest federal electorate, named in honour of pioneering nurse and war hero Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel.
Cook, a former nurse herself and Mundaring councillor, and her party took to social media on Friday night claiming the win believing it had secured an unassailable lead over Liberal candidate Matt Moran.
Cook's lead had extending to more than 600 votes as the final postal and absentee ballots were counted.
Cook said she was incredibly grateful to be the first-ever member for Bullwinkel.
'I've advocated for my patients and my community my whole life and I will continue to advocate for Bullwinkel as your local member,' she said.
'Thank you to my volunteers for an incredible campaign, I'd like to thank everyone who played a role in this campaign.'
Neither this masthead, the ABC or the Australian Electoral Commission has called the seat yet.
There are still more than 2000 absentee votes to be counted and more than 4000 declaration pre-poll votes. Absentee votes are breaking heavily in Cook's favour at 58 per cent compared to Moran's 42 per cent.
Cook travelled to Canberra where she was introduced as one of the new Labor MPs on Anthony Albanese's Facebook page on Friday.
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