Nat Cook

Natalie Fleur Cook is an Australian politician[1][2] and anti-violence campaigner. She became an anti-violence campaigner[3] after the death of her son in a one-punch attack in 2008.[4]

For the Australian beach volleyball player, see Natalie Cook.

The Honourable
Nat Cook
MP
Cook in 2021
Minister for Human Services
Assumed office
24 March 2022
PremierPeter Malinauskas
Preceded byMichelle Lensink
Member of the South Australian Parliament
for Hurtle Vale
Assumed office
17 March 2018
Preceded byNew District
Member of the South Australian Parliament
for Fisher
In office
16 December 2014 – 17 March 2018
Preceded byBob Such
Succeeded byDistrict Abolished
Personal details
Born
Natalie Fleur Cook

Australia
Political partyLabor Party
SpouseNeil Davis
EducationFlinders University
ProfessionNurse and politician
Websitewww.natcook.com.au

Cook is a Labor member of the South Australian House of Assembly, representing Hurtle Vale since the 2018 state election. She previously represented Fisher after winning the 2014 by-election,[1][5] vacated by the death of independent member Bob Such.[6] Cook was elected with a majority of 0.02%,[7] a victory margin of nine votes.[8][9] She represented the seat until it was abolished in the 2018 election.

Cook has served as the Minister for Human Services in the Malinauskas ministry since March 2022. Cook was previously the Parliamentary Secretary for Housing and Urban Development from September 2017 until Labor's loss at the 2018 election, after which she was the Shadow Minister for Human Services in the Labor Opposition.[10]

Anti-violence activism

In 2008 Cook's 17-year-old son Sam Davis was killed in a one-punch attack at a party.[4] Soon after Cook and her partner, Neil Davis, founded the Sammy D Foundation, which runs school programs to spread an anti-violence message and provide positive role models to disadvantaged youth.[3] Cook stood down from the board of the Sammy D Foundation after she was elected to Parliament.[11]

Political career

On 20 October 2014 Cook was pre-selected as the Labor Party candidate for the seat of Fisher in the 2014 Fisher by-election,[1] following the death of incumbent member Bob Such.[6] Cook won the by-election by nine votes[8][9] from a 7.3 percent two-party swing, resulting in the Weatherill Labor Government changing from minority to majority government.[5][7] On a 0.02 percent margin it was the most marginal seat in parliament.[5][7][12]

A redistribution of electoral boundaries occurs following each South Australian general election and it was decided in 2016 that the electoral division of Fisher would be abolished.[8] Its electors were divided between the seats of Davenport,[13] Heysen,[14] Hurtle Vale,[2] and Waite,[15] with Hurtle Vale designated as Fisher's successor by the South Australian Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission.[8] Cook successfully contested the 2018 general election (when the new boundaries came into effect) in Hurtle Vale, becoming its first representative. Despite Labor losing government, Cook received a swing towards her of 3.6% in two-party preferred terms,[2] taking 55.3% of the two-party preferred vote.[2]

In 2021, one of Cook's staff was arrested and charged with producing and possessing child exploitation material.[16]

Following Labor's victory at the 2022 election, Cook was appointed as Minister for Human Services in the Malinauskas ministry.

References
  1. Wills, Daniel (20 October 2014). "Voters to go to the polls in Bob Such's seat of Fisher on December 6 as Liberal Iain Evans also retires and triggers Davenport by-election". The Advertiser. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  2. Green, Antony (2018). "SA Election 2018 – Electorate: Hurtle Vale". ABC News. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  3. Harris, Lia (30 April 2013). "Sam Davis' parents spread the anti-violence message". The Advertiser. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  4. Novak, Lauren (14 August 2015). "Nat Cook and Neil Davis are rebuilding their lives – and those of their children". The Advertiser. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  5. "Fisher by-election win for Labor gives Weatherill Government majority in SA". ABC News. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  6. "Former Member of Parliament Details – Hon Bob Such". Parliament of South Australia. 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2018. Member for Fisher from 25 November 1989 to 11 October 2014 (his death)
  7. Green, Antony (October 2014). "2014 Fisher By-election". ABC News. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  8. "2016 Report of the Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission". South Australian Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission. 7 December 2016. p. 16. Retrieved 18 March 2018. A by-election for the district of Fisher was held on 6 December 2014. The Labor candidate won the seat over the Liberal candidate, with a margin of nine votes.
  9. "2014 Fisher by-election – Final Distribution of Preferences". Electoral Commission of South Australia. 15 December 2014. Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2018. In the recount conducted on 15 December 2014, Harris received 10275 votes and Cook received 10284 votes.
  10. "Hon Natalie (Nat) Fleur Cook". Members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  11. Novak, Lauren (11 February 2015). "New Labor MP Nat Cook stands down from Sammy D Foundation board so it cannot be used as 'political ammunition'". The Advertiser. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  12. "Labor claims victory in Fisher by-election". The Advertiser. 13 December 2014.
  13. Green, Antony (2018). "SA Election 2018 – Electorate: Davenport". ABC News. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  14. Green, Antony (2018). "SA Election 2018 – Electorate: Heysen". ABC News. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  15. Green, Antony (2018). "SA Election 2018 – Electorate: Waite". ABC News. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  16. Campbell, Claire (31 March 2021). "Labor MP's staffer charged with producing child exploitation material". Australia: ABC. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
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