Introduction
The new federal seat of Bullwinkel was among the most discussed electoral arenas in the nation when the Western Australians voted in May 2025. One of the candidates was the local nominee of the Liberal Party, the Kalamunda-born army veteran, award-winning journalist, and a leader in the defence industry, Matt Moran.
Even though he was beaten by Labour, Trish Cook by only 1,066 votes, Moran’s campaign resonated through the Perth Hills and Wheatbelt. It is the journey that started on the battlefields of Afghanistan, then the press gallery of Canberra and the home to serve his people that has made him one of the most fascinating political figures in WA.
Who Is Matt Moran? From Boya to Bullwinkel
Matt Moran is not a career politician who has been parachuted in at Canberra, he is a home-grown in WA. He was born in Kalamunda and brought up in Boya, and has a strong attachment to the area, which is now the Bullwinkel electorate. His grandfather worked as the shire clerk of Kalamunda, and his father is still in Toodyay, and his mother is in aged care in Northam.
Moran had a very diverse resume before getting into politics; he served as a soldier, as a journalist, and as a senior advisor in the halls of power. He began his career as a country ABC reporter at Esperance and entered Network Ten’s Perth newsroom in 2004. He served as an Australian Army public affairs officer, later serving in East Timor (2007) and Afghanistan (2009), which made him determine to dedicate the rest of his life to serving the people.
Award-Winning Journalism and National Recognition
Between 2011 and 2015, Moran reported on federal politics, winning many industry awards. He has won a Walkley Award for Scoop of the Year, the Paul Lyneham Award of Excellence in Political Journalism and two UN Media Awards. He was also shortlisted for Graham Perkin Journalist of the Year and was a finalist in the Logies, again something that a political correspondent does not get shortlisted for.
Moran was so respected as a journalist that, in 2012, he was made one of the judges of the Walkley Awards, making him one of the most respected reporters in Australia before he crossed over into the service sector.
From Defence Adviser to Political Candidate
Moran left journalism in 2015 and became a media adviser to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. In 2016, he was influencing policy in the area of national defence, initially as policy adviser to the Minister of Defence Industry, then as senior adviser to the Minister of Defence.
He was also directly engaged in other key defence initiatives such as local industry development and naval shipbuilding. With his experience, he became the first Executive Director of Defence West in 2019, and subsequently the Head of Strategy and Government Relations at Luerssen Australia, the German shipbuilder contracting to supply the Royal Australian Navy.
Moran, as CEO of Master Builders Western Australia (since July 2025), is the advocate of the construction industry in the state (comprising over 100,000 workers) and is lobbying to achieve housing affordability, skills training, and red-tape reform.
The Bullwinkel Electorate: A Seat with a Story
In 2024, the Division of Bullwinkel was established in her honour in remembrance of Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel, the only survivor of the 1942 Bangka Island massacre and a timeless figure of bravery and empathy.
The Bullwinkel is a patch of metro and country between Perth’s eastern suburbs, Kalamunda, Greenmount, Forrestfield, Midland, Northam, York, Toodyay, Mundaring and Beverley. It had a notional Labour margin of 3.3 per cent, which implied that the 2025 election would always be hotly contested.
Matt Moran Liberal for Bullwinkel: A Campaign Built on Local Grit
Moran was chosen as the first candidate in Bullwinkel by the Liberal Party after beating three other aspiring candidates in August 2024. His no-nonsense message and his roots were expressed in his campaign slogan, which was “Born, bred and ready to serve”.
He drew on his life experience and focused on cost-of-living relief, housing affordability and local jobs. On election day, he wrote to Sky News:
“People are not happy with the live export ban, but the number one issue is cost of living, housing, and the North Stonewall development — and I don’t support it either.”
The Liberal plan by Moran promised cheaper fuel and groceries, more houses with quicker approvals and the growth in jobs in the defence industry. The key impacts of his campaign for WA were summarised as follows:
| Focus Area | Policy Goal | Impact for WA Families |
| Cut red tape for housing | Affordability | Faster builds in Perth Hills; lower median house prices |
| Boost defence jobs | Economy | 10,000 new roles via Henderson shipbuilding |
| Veteran support hubs | Community | Free counselling in Kalamunda; PTSD programs |
| Energy relief rebates | Cost of Living | $500 annual savings for households |
Election Day and Results
The race came down to the wire. Trish Cook of Labor won the nail-biter count with 52,865 votes (50.51 per cent) against 51,799 votes (49.49 per cent) of Moran. The seat was held by the Labour Party, even though the percentage was a 2.84 per cent shift towards the Liberals.
Moran agreed courteously on 10 May 2025, congratulating Cook and giving a nod to volunteers:
“While it’s not the result we hoped for, it was an honour to be the first Liberal candidate for Bullwinkel and to meet passionate people who care deeply about our community.”
He also said that his political career is not yet complete, which indicates that he would remain an active politician.
Family, Values and Private Moran’s Life
A search on Matt Moran Liberal family does not tell a lot- on purpose. He has been secretive about his personal life and devoted community service and policy to the public attention. His father lives in Toodyay, and his mother lives in Northam, which still keeps his family ties near the heartland of Bullwinkel.
The campaign materials do not mention any wife or kids, but his supporters state that he is friendly, simple, and family-oriented, which can be attributed to his roots in the grounded WA upbringing.
Public Profile and Contact Details
Moran was extremely active on social media sharing updates, such as local events and policy changes, on Facebook and Instagram under the profile @matt4bullwinkel.
Today, being the CEO of Master Builders WA, people can contact him through this organisation or professional networks such as LinkedIn.
And no, he is not the celebrity chef, Matt Moran (born 1969); the Matt Moran here is a WA Perth Hills veteran and a journalist.
Legacy and Future Ambitions
Although it was a close-run race, the 2025 run of Matt Moran secured his status as one of the most promising Liberal Party members in WA. The combination of his military discipline, media expertise, and policy insights makes him a future contender – perhaps for state parliament or a federal return bid.
He still has an impact on the discussion of housing affordability, skills development, and defence innovation, which are at the heart of the economy of WA and his campaign message.
Conclusion
Character is not defined by election outcome; rather, it is a story of service, service to the country, service to the truth and service to his people. In the deserts of Afghanistan, in the streets of Canberra and in the hills of Bullwinkel, he has lived by the motto that leadership begins with listening.
Whether or not he re-enters the political arena, his experience serves to prompt Australians to remember that integrity, perseverance and local devotion are not irrelevant in the modern political arena. Matt Moran Liberal, remains a name to watch for many West Australians — and perhaps, one day, to vote for again.
