Nat Cook
Natalie Fleur Cook is an Australian politician and anti-violence campaigner. She became an anti-violence campaigner after the death of her son in a one-punch attack in 2008. 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, vacated by the death of independent member Bob Such. Cook was elected with a majority of 0.02%, a victory margin of nine votes. 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 Malinauskas shadow ministry.
Nat Cook | |
|---|---|
 Cook in 2021 | |
| Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well | |
| In office 15 April 2024 – 25 March 2026 | |
| Premier | Peter Malinauskas |
| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | Katrine Hildyard |
| Minister for Human Services | |
| In office 24 March 2022 – 25 March 2026 | |
| Premier | Peter Malinauskas |
| Preceded by | Michelle Lensink |
| Succeeded by | Katrine Hildyard |
| Member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Hurtle Vale | |
| Assumed office 17 March 2018 | |
| Preceded by | New district |
| Member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Fisher | |
| In office 16 December 2014 – 17 March 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Bob Such |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Natalie Fleur Cook 7 February 1969 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Party | Labor |
| Spouse |
Neil Davis (m. 2003) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Mitcham Girls High School |
| Alma mater | Flinders University |
| Profession | Nurse |
| Website | www.natcook.com.au |
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]
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 Malinauskas shadow ministry.[10]
Early life and education
[edit]Cook was born in Adelaide, South Australia, to first-generation English migrants, the youngest daughter of three children, and grew up in Morphett Vale, a southern Adelaide suburb.[11] Cook attended her local primary school, Flaxmill Primary School, and later went to Mitcham Girls High School.
Pre-parliamentary career
[edit]Prior to being elected to the South Australian Parliament in 2014, Cook worked for nearly 30 years as a Registered Nurse, including as an After-Hours Hospital Coordinator, Retrieval, and Intensive-Care Nurse.[12][13] Her training began at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she joined the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF).[11] She states:
My nursing career really started as a volunteer with St John Cadets when I was 11. I had many role models in the St John's brigade who helped me to decide that nursing and working in health care was something that I needed to do, because I really cared for other people. I got enormous satisfaction out of volunteering every weekend, sometimes in multiple locations on any one day.[11]
Cook is honoured to hold the title of Associate Professor with the School of Nursing and Midwifery University of South Australia.[12]
Anti-violence activism
[edit]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.[14]
Political career
[edit]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][15]
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,[16] Heysen,[17] Hurtle Vale,[2] and Waite,[18] 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]
Following Labor's victory at the 2022 election, Cook was appointed as Minister for Human Services in the Malinauskas ministry. On April 20, 2024, Cook was sworn in as Minister for Seniors and Ageing well.
Personal life
[edit]Cook gave birth to her first child Sam, in 1990. She also has a stepdaughter, Sheree, a foster son Ty, and a son Sid.[11]
Cook married her longtime partner Neil Davis in 2003.[19] They have lived in the same home in Woodcroft for nearly 30 years.[20]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ a b c d Green, Antony (2018). "SA Election 2018 – Electorate: Hurtle Vale". ABC News. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ a b Harris, Lia (30 April 2013). "Sam Davis' parents spread the anti-violence message". The Advertiser. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b c "Fisher by-election win for Labor gives Weatherill Government majority in SA". ABC News. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ a b "Former Member of Parliament Details – Hon Bob Such". Parliament of South Australia. 2014. Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
Member for Fisher from 25 November 1989 to 11 October 2014 (his death)
- ^ a b c Green, Antony (October 2014). "2014 Fisher By-election". ABC News. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ a b c d "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.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ "Hon Natalie (Nat) Fleur Cook". Members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d Smith, Kyall (16 February 2015). "Maiden Speech (2015)". NatCook. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Hon. Nat Cook". South Australian Labor Party. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ "About | Nat Cook MP". NatCook. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Labor claims victory in Fisher by-election". The Advertiser. 13 December 2014.
- ^ Green, Antony (2018). "SA Election 2018 – Electorate: Davenport". ABC News. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ Green, Antony (2018). "SA Election 2018 – Electorate: Heysen". ABC News. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ Green, Antony (2018). "SA Election 2018 – Electorate: Waite". ABC News. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ Davis, Neil. "About". Facebook. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ Government of South Australia (2025). "Nat Cook MP".
External links
[edit]- "Cook, Nat". Former members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
- Parliamentary Profile: SA Labor website
- Sammy D Foundation