Electoral region of Agricultural

The electoral region of Agricultural is a multi-member electoral region of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the South West, Peel and part of the Great Southern regions of the state. It was created by the Acts Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 1987, and became effective on 22 May 1989 with five members who had been elected at the 1989 state election three months earlier. At the 2008 election, it was increased to six members.

Contents

Geography

The Region is made up of several complete Legislative Assembly districts, which change at each distribution.

Redistribution Period Electoral districts Electors % of State Area
29 April 1988[1] 22 May 1989–22 May 1997

Avon, Geraldton, Greenough, Merredin, Moore, Roe, Wagin (7)

 80,626 8.89% 267,448 km2 (103,262 sq mi)
28 November 1994[2] 22 May 1997–22 May 2005 As per 1988 87,137 8.27% 267,448 km2 (103,262 sq mi)
4 August 2003[3] 22 May 2005–22 May 2009 As per 1988 94,877 7.81% 261,282 km2 (100,882 sq mi)
29 October 2007[4] 22 May 2009–22 May 2017

Central Wheatbelt, Geraldton, Moore, Wagin (4)

 82,479 6.56% 200,091 km2 (77,256 sq mi)

Representation

Distribution of seats

As 5-member seat:

Election Seats won
1989–1993          
1993–1997          
1997–2001          
2001–2005          
2005–2009          

As 6-member seat:

Election Seats won
2009–2013            

Legend:

  Labor
  Liberal
  National
  Greens WA
  One Nation

Members

Since its creation, the electorate has had 21 members, only five of which were not from either the Liberal or National parties. All five of the members elected in 1989 had previously been members of the Legislative Council.

  Five member seat Six member seat
Member Party 1989–93 1993–97 1997–01 2001–05 2005–09 2009–13[a] 2013-17[b]
James Brown[1] Labor –1992
Kim Chance[1] Labor 1992–        
Matt Benson-Lidholm Labor  
Dee Margetts Greens  
Margaret McAleer Liberal  
David Wordsworth Liberal  
Murray Nixon Liberal    
Bruce Donaldson Liberal]        
Anthony Fels[6] Liberal  
Margaret Rowe[4] Liberal –2007
Brian Ellis[4] Liberal 2007–  
Jim Chown Liberal  
Eric Charlton[2] National     –1998
Dexter Davies[2] National 1998–
John Caldwell National  
Murray Criddle[5] National       –2008
Wendy Duncan[5] National 2008–
Mia Davies National  
Philip Gardiner National  
Max Trenorden National  
Frank Hough One Nation[3]  
Notes
a Members serving for the 2009–2013 term were elected in 2008 but do not take their seats in Parliament until 22 May 2009.
b next term of office
1 Labor MLC James Brown resigned on 3 March 1992. Kim Chance was appointed to the resulting casual vacancy on 18 March 1992.
2 National MLC Eric Charlton resigned on 28 July 1998. Dexter Davies was appointed to the resulting casual vacancy on 11 August 1998.
3 Frank Hough was elected as a One Nation member, but resigned from the party on 1 June 2004 and sat as an independent. He later co-founded the New Country Party, and represented them in the Council until the end of his term.
4 Liberal MLC Margaret Rowe resigned on 22 June 2007. Brian Ellis was elected in the resulting countback on 16 July 2007.
5 National MLC Murray Criddle resigned on 2 January 2008. Wendy Duncan was elected in the resulting countback on 29 January 2008.
6 Anthony Fels was elected as a Liberal member, but resigned from the party on 31 July 2008. He subsequently sat as an independent and recontested his seat unsuccessfully at the 2008 election as a WAFamilyFirst.com Party candidate.

References

  1. ^ "Electoral Districts Act 1947-1985 - Order in Council". Western Australia Government Gazette: p. 1988:1339-1527. 29 April 1988. 
  2. ^ "Electoral Distributions Act 1947 - Division of the State into Six Electoral Regions and 57 Electoral Districts by the Electoral Distribution Commissioners". Western Australia Government Gazette: p. 1994:6135-6327. 28 November 1994. 
  3. ^ "Electoral Distributions Act 1947 - Division of the State into Electoral Regions and Districts by the Electoral Distribution Commissioners". Western Australia Government Gazette: p. 2003:3475-3566. 4 August 2003. 
  4. ^ Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) (29 October 2007). "South West Region Profile". http://www.boundarieswa.com/2007/Final-Boundaries/South-West-Region/Post.aspx. Retrieved 2008-10-22.