Latest news with #TrishCook
West Australian
3 days ago
- Politics
- West Australian
Labor member Trish Cook vows to support Bullwinkel sheep farmers in the wake of the live export ban
Labor's Trish Cook has vowed not to forget her rural constituents as she begins her role as the first Member for Bullwinkel. Bullwinkel is a new seat stretching from Perth's metropolitan fringe out to the Wheatbelt, with 15 per cent of constituents falling outside of the metropolitan region. The shires of Beverley, Northam, Toodyay and York fall within the hybrid urban-rural seat where they once fell in O'Connor and Durack — typically seats held by the Liberal party. Parts of the cities of Armadale, Gosnells, Kalamunda and Swan, and the Shire of Mundaring also fall within the 9508sqkm area. Ms Cook said her first message to all her constituents was one of gratitude. 'Thank you for electing me as the first ever member for Bullwinkel,' she said. 'I appreciate it's a great honour and privilege to do this and I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running and getting stuck into it.' The vastness of the electorate has seen a wide range of issues affecting voters, from suburban families to primary producers and farmers. Ms Cook said the needs of her regional voters were familiar to her, having served as a councillor for the Shire of Mundaring for six years, as deputy shire president in 2023 and as a nurse in Northam. 'I appreciate the trust and support that's been given to me, and I know that it's probably a first time there's a Labor MP for those areas and I don't take that lightly,' she said. 'I've travelled around the electorate, especially the country towns . . . they're not new to me — this is an area I know reasonably well and I intend to advocate for the people there. 'I know the unique challenges of living in the regions and I want to deliver results for the farmers out there and their communities.' Labor's laws phasing out live sheep exports by sea have been a key issue facing rural communities — the plan has been heavily protested by farming groups, culminating in the Keep the Sheep campaign. Ms Cook said she wants to support Bullwinkel farmers in the wake of the live sheep export phase out. 'I want those farmers to farm sheep, I want those sheep to be processed in WA and I want those jobs to stay here,' she said. 'I'll be doing everything I can to make sure that the $1.39 million transition package is wisely spent and goes towards supporting the farmers of Bullwinkel. 'I've already asked my staff to set up a meeting with the transition advocate and I've been liaising with Jackie Jarvis, the State Minister for Agriculture, and Julie Collins' office, and I really want to hit the ground running on this issue and do what I can to help the farmers of the district to adapt. 'I spoke to a lot of people on pre-poll, including the Keep the Sheep people. I've been out to Toodyay and speaking to farmers there. I want to do my best as a MP to support farmers because they do have specific issues in their industry and I will prioritise them.' Ms Cook said she intends to deliver on all Labor's election commitments. These include a new urgent care clinic in Mundaring, a mental health centre in Kalamunda, and a $5m childcare centre in Mundaring. Other commitments include battery backup power for the 23 mobile phone towers within the Perth hills to assist in emergencies, various funding commitments across six volunteer fire brigades, and the joint commitment of the State and Federal governments with $355m for Midland Hospital. 'They're commitments I really want to see and — this is being supported by Anthony Albanese — is that we will spend, the first year particularly, delivering on those commitments,' Ms Cook said. On top of these, Ms Cook said she intends to advocate for quality healthcare and cost of living measures, as well as improvements to housing infrastructure, roads, bridges and telecommunications. 'I trust the councils and the shires in those regional areas, as well as the people we door knocked and have spoken to — they told me what they need and I will certainly go in to bat for them.'
West Australian
20-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Mia Davies: ‘It takes courage and conviction to step into the political arena'
Congratulations to everyone that saw the opportunity to make a difference for our nation and stepped up to contend as a candidate at this Federal election. It takes courage and conviction to step into public arena to test yourself, many do not. To Matt Moran and Trish Cook, with the result still undecided in Bullwinkel, I wish you both the very best. The first Member for Bullwinkel will have a special place in our nation's history, just like that courageous woman it is named for. I know we all understood the privilege it was to contest the election as a candidate and speak of Sister Vivian Bullwinkel as its namesake. I have always been a firm believer that The Nationals brand of representation and advocacy, our approach to policy and politics, is something more Australians deserve. The contest was always going to be a challenge for The Nationals, but that was not a reason to vacate the space. We fight fiercely for our electorates, we bring commonsense to the debate, and have a track record of delivering for our constituencies – most of which are vast, diverse and challenging to service. I thank David Littleproud and his Federal team for their support throughout the campaign. Too often the value of our team and its contribution to a stable Government or Opposition is underestimated or diminished by those that would prefer to see us gone. I remind those that have been devising or reporting on our demise for decades that we are still here, fighting and making a difference. I joined our Party to do just that. To make a difference. To give people in communities we represent a voice, and to fight so they could plan a future that meant they could thrive instead of just survive. For seventeen years in the State Parliament I did that to the very best of my ability. Thank you to the good and decent people of the Central Wheatbelt who supported me to represent them for three terms, after four years of representing communities from Northampton to Esperance in the Legislative Council. Taking a seat at the biggest decision-making table in our State will remain one of the greatest privileges and highlights of my time in politics. Sitting alongside this are the moments in my constituency that never made it to the paper but improved the lives of people who work hard, do the right thing and quietly go about life. Two years ago I started contemplating life after politics and announced I would not be contesting the 2025 State election. It was time for a change and a new challenge. Less than year ago the new Federal electorate of Bullwinkel was created. The new seat, plus the policy positions emerging from an east-coast centric Federal Labor Government that were undermining and destroying businesses, industry and communities I'd spent twenty years representing, caused me to examine my own conscience. This wasn't the election to sit on the sidelines. In my family, we have a saying — it's actually written on my Dad's gravestone — if you think you can make a difference, you should. That means stepping into the arena ready to have a fight whether you think you'll win, draw or lose. On this occasion we lost. But that does not equate to a lack of effort or conviction, and I thank those people who joined our campaign as we sought to garner support from communities and voters that had never voted Nationals before. Some have been members and volunteers, supporters and friends for many years. Others have found their way to our Party for the very first time. We ran a campaign with energy, integrity and a positive message for the electorate and I sincerely thank everyone that joined us for the journey. The end of this campaign draws a line under a chapter of my life that has been dominated by politics. It has been exhilarating and demanding, but above all, rewarding. I hope there is something out there that will give me the same satisfaction I have gained from serving the Central Wheatbelt and State in Parliament for seventeen years. I look forward to that challenge. Thank you! Mia Davies was a candidate for the Federal seat of Bullwinkel and the former state Opposition leader
ABC News
11-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Liberal Party's Matt Moran concedes defeat in new WA seat of Bullwinkel
The Liberal candidate for Western Australia's new federal seat of Bullwinkel, Matt Moran, has officially conceded defeat. The Army veteran released a statement to his followers on social media on Saturday night, a week after the federal election. "The result in Bullwinkel is now clear, and while it's not the outcome we had hoped for, I called Trish Cook today to congratulate her," he wrote on Facebook. It was a tight race in the newly formed electorate on Perth's eastern fringe, with Labor's Trish Cook winning the seat by just 990 votes. Bullwinkel is made up of parts of six existing electorates and covers suburbs in eastern Perth and rural areas of the Avon Valley. Western Australia now has 16 federal seats in the House of Representatives. Mr Moran thanked his supporters and said he was proud of his campaign, which attracted a swing of 2.9 per cent towards the Liberal Party in the notionally Labor held area. "To my campaign team, thank you for your tireless dedication and belief in me," Mr Moran said. "It was an honour to be the first Liberal candidate for Bullwinkel and a pleasure to meet passionate people in our community, listen to your concerns and offer pragmatic solutions. "Thank you to the Liberal Party for backing me." Mr Moran ended the post alluding to a future in politics, adding that he would "continue to fight for the people of Bullwinkel". "I will remain active in the community, and I hope to seek elected office again in the future." Labor claimed victory in Bullwinkel on Friday. Ms Cook had been neck-and-neck with Mr Moran for much of the count, and at one point there were fewer than 100 votes separating the front-runners.
Sydney Morning Herald
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
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.
The Age
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
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.
