Emil Nulsen
# Emil Nulsen

Emil Nulsen (9 June 1885 – 3 August 1965) was an Australian politician who was a Labor Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1932 to 1962. He served as a minister in the governments of John Willcock, Frank Wise, and Albert Hawke.

## Early life

Nulsen was born in Burra, South Australia, to Emma (née Tudor) and Clement August Nulsen (or Nielsen). His father was an immigrant from Hanover, Germany. Nulsen's family moved to Perth when he was a child, where he attended Christian Brothers' College. After leaving school, he moved to the Murchison, where he worked as a bicycle rider, horseman, and amateur boxer. He later went to the Eastern Goldfields, living at various times in Lawlers (where he was a union representative), Norseman (where he ran a grocery), and Salmon Gums (where he owned a hotel and had a 3000-acre farm). Nulsen served on the Dundas Roads Board, including as chairman from 1929 to 1931.

## Politics and later life

Nulsen was elected to parliament at a 1932 by-election for the seat of Kanowna, following the death of the sitting member, Thomas Walker. After the 1939 state election, he was made Minister for Justice and Minister for Railways in the Willcock government, replacing Frederick Smith. When Frank Wise succeeded John Willcock as premier in 1945, he retained the justice ministry and was also made Minister for Health, but lost the railways ministry to William Marshall. The Labor government was defeated at the 1947 state election.

At the 1950 election, Nulsen's old seat of Kanowna was abolished, and he transferred to the newly created seat of Eyre, which contained most of his old electorate. When Labor were returned to government at the 1953 election, Nulsen regained his previous portfolios, becoming Minister for Justice and Minister for Health for a second time. He remained a minister until the Hawke government was defeated at the 1959 election, and retired from parliament at the 1962 election. Nulsen died in Perth in 1965, aged 80. Nulsen, a suburb of Esperance, was named after him following his death.

