Federal election 2025: Mia Davies bullish on chances of Nationals winning Bullwinkel at campaign launch

Former WA Opposition Leader Mia Davies has vowed she and the Nationals are the best-placed to fight for voters in the new must-win Federal seat of Bullwinkel. Ms Davies formally launched her campaign for the seat that spans from the Perth hills to Toodyay, Northam and Beverley on Saturday to a crowd buoyed by the WA election result which saw the Nationals’ vote increase from three to six seats. “Over the last 16 years, I’ve soaked up every single moment of being able to have access to people just like you so that I can actually step into this role now,” she told a crowd of about 200 party faithful, joined by Federal leader David Littleproud and State leader Shane Love in Kalamunda on Saturday afternoon. “I cannot wait to be given the opportunity to step into the Federal Parliament on your behalf. We are going to win Bullwinkel.” Ms Davies was the leader of the Nationals WA for almost six years and State opposition leader for the last two of her leadership stint. Despite strong name recognition, Ms Davies faces a tough track ahead in the three way race for Bullwinkel. Labor are putting up Trish Cook, a nurse and Mundaring councillor while the Liberals have turned to former army veteran and journalist Matt Moran. Established via a redistribution last year, Bullwinkel is notionally a Labor-held seat, which expects a strong challenge from both Coalition candidates. Ms Davies told The Sunday Times all three candidates would need to put the hard yards in to win the seat. “It’s a marginally Labor seat on the numbers from the last election and I think it’s anyone’s,” she said. “There’s no incumbent and I think every candidate will be out there knocking on every last door and putting themselves forward. “It’ll be about how you get out and explaining to people what you’re going to do for this electorate.” Ms Davies also revealed part of the decision to run came down to her late father Dexter Davies who passed away in 2018. “I know that my dad is here as well and he was on my shoulder when David called to ask,” she told the crowd. “He was very much a part of my decision making about whether or not I put myself back into the fray for this crazy and wild journey. “I know that dad would have been cheering us along.” “We know how to do politics, that’s very clear because after 120 years of existence with everyone writing us off at every election, we are still here,” she said. “We are still a force to be reckoned with but it is our brand of politics that puts people and community first, it is what people are looking to. “We are here for the long term, that we will go in and have a fight for them, we’ll get a blood nose.” Mr Littleproud talked up his commitment to the State and reiterate his support for the live sheep export trade. Despite being an east coast politician himself, Mr Littleproud employed the room to send a message to the other side of the country. “Western Australians need to send a very strong message to the east coast,” he said. “The east coast politicians that don’t understand Western Australia should go back to the east coast and get out of your way, because Western Australians know better than anybody else.” He said Ms Davies would be a strong candidate for the State. “I’m proud to say that I stand with my great friend Mia Davies, because I believe in Mia Davies, and I believe Mia Davies will be a great member for Bullwinkel,” he said.