Mia Davies to contest new seat of Bullwinkel for Nationals at Federal election

Mia Davies, the former WA Opposition leader, will seek Nationals preselection for the new federal seat of Bullwinkel, in a sensational political U-turn ahead of her looming retirement from State Parliament. Ms Davies, who announced last year she would end her 16-year-long political career at next March’s State election, told The West she will on Friday announce her bid for the Nationals candidacy, declaring she can win the seat of Bullwinkel. The bid comes after party leadership on the East Coast encouraged the former State leader to run for the new electorate, which includes towns in her current State seat of Central Wheatbelt. The seat, which includes Northam, York, and Beverley, stretches as far west into the metropolitan area as Mundaring, Kalamunda, Forrestfield and High Wycombe. But Ms Davies accepts the election is not a foregone conclusion, coming up against a notional Labor margin of three per cent, a Liberal Party eager to grow its numbers in WA, and a State historically reluctant to elect Nationals to Federal Parliament. “It’s an unmissable opportunity that’s arisen through the redistribution to take our brand of politics of the Nationals in Western Australia of common sense, our approach to problem-solving and make sure that we’ve got a strong voice in the Nationals federal party room,” she said. “I’ve got a history of public service in my family. We’ve got a saying in my family that if you think you can make a difference you should and this opportunity has arisen — I’m excited for the new challenge,” she said. One of the major triggers for her decision, she said, was the Albanese Government’s “arrogant” decision to end live sheep export. “Obviously that’s an issue that’s been very hotly contested and discussed within my current electorate,” Ms Davies said. “But when you see governments making decisions like that, pulling the rug out from underneath legitimate industries, watching them pile on red and green tape ... it puts a bit of fire in your belly. “With my experience of nearly 16 years in State politics at senior leadership levels, I feel like I’ve got something to offer.” Early last year, Ms Davies shocked political insiders by standing down from the Nationals leadership, and announcing her retirement from State Parliament. “My decision was not to run at the next election as at the state election, and then, flowing from that I felt the need to step down from the leadership because the party needed the opportunity to build its leadership team running into the state election,” she said. “My decision not to run out of the State Parliament has not changed. The time was right for a change for me personally. But I feel like there’s more to offer.” Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud, who is understood to have been one of the voices calling for Ms Davies to nominate, said she was an experienced and strong contender. “Mia has a strong track record of standing up for local communities and the fight needed to keep the live sheep export industry,” Mr Littleproud said. First elected to the Upper House in the agricultural region in 2008, Ms Davies moved to the Lower House in 2013, taking Brendon Grylls’ former seat of Central Wheatbelt. She was then elected deputy leader in 2014 to former leader Terry Redman, and after serving across multiple portfolios in the Barnett Government’s second term, Ms Davies became party leader after the Liberals and Nationals lost the 2017 election. Following the landslide 2021 election result which left the Liberals with just two MPs, Ms Davies became the first Nationals MP to serve as Opposition leader in almost 75 years. With Ms Davies’ nomination, Bullwinkel looks to become a three-cornered contest, with the Liberals set to choose between army veteran and former journalist Matt Moran and veterinarian Holly Ludeman, while State Upper House MP Kyle McGinn has nominated for Labor preselection.