Labor’s Bullwinkel candidate spurns push to name seat after local hero

Labor’s candidate for Bullwinkel has spurned a local push to have the name of the new electorate changed to honour a West Australian instead of an “Eastern States lady”.

The Australian Electoral Commission has proposed the additional seat covering Perth Hills and the Wheatbelt be named to honour nurse and war hero Vivan Bullwinkel, who was the only survivor of the Bangka Island massacre.

Trish Cook, herself a nurse, said Lieutenant Colonel Bullwinkel’s story had been an inspiration to her — both for her heroics during WWII and her efforts after the war to increase the professionalism of nurses.

“I have a lot to thank her for because I went through both hospital-based training and university-based training, and the profession has certainly increased its standards thanks to her work,” Ms Cook said on Wendesday, standing alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

However, residents from the area spearheaded a push to convince the AEC to name the electorate for two local nurses killed in the same massacre: Sister Minnie Hodgson from Wickepin and Sister Alma Beard from Toodyay.

Ms Cook said she did not back a change in the name.

“Vivian Bullwinkel … was a war hero, a war survivor, and did enormous amount of work in her post-military life. She’s a national hero,” she said.

“I recognise, though, that those other 21 nurses that she went through the war crime, the massacre, are heroes as well.

“And they’re local heroes, and I support them being locally championed and remembered.”

Mr Albanese was also in favour of keeping the name.

“What’s better than having a nurse represent a seat called Bullwinkel?” he said.

The AEC will reveal its final decision on the seat name and electorate boundaries on Friday.