Metropolitan-Suburban Province

The Metropolitan-Suburban Province was a three-member electoral province of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the metropolitan region of Perth. It was created by the Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1899, and became effective on 29 August 1900 following a special election to fill all three seats. Historically taking in many coastal and riverside areas in the western suburbs of Perth, it was considered safe for the Nationalist Party for most of its existence.

At the 1950 elections, it was renamed Suburban Province, losing Claremont and Subiaco and moving inland. In 1963–1964, electoral changes to the Legislative Council, which abolished the 10 three-member seats and created 15 two-member seats in their place, resulted in the seat's abolishment, with its area being divided between North-East Metropolitan Province and South-East Metropolitan Province.

Geography

The province was made up of several complete Legislative Assembly districts, which changed at each distribution. It had a more restrictive franchise than the Legislative Assembly, however, so not all voters in the corresponding Assembly districts were eligible to vote in the Council.

RedistributionPeriodElectoral districtsElectors% of State
1899 29 August 1900–22 May 1904

Claremont, Guildford, South Perth, Subiaco

    
1904 22 May 1904–22 May 1912

Balkatta, Canning, Claremont, Guildford, Subiaco

 6,858 18.10%
1911 22 May 1912–22 May 1930

Canning, Claremont, Guildford, Leederville, Subiaco

 12,093 25.65%
1929 22 May 1930–22 May 1950

Canning, Claremont, Guildford-Midland, Leederville, Maylands, Middle Swan, Mount Hawthorn, Nedlands, South Perth, Subiaco Victoria Park,

   
1948 22 May 1950–22 May 1956

Canning, Guildford-Midland, Maylands, Middle Swan, Mount Hawthorn, Mount Lawley, South Perth, Victoria Park,

   
1955 22 May 1956–22 May 1962

Beeloo, Guildford-Midland, Maylands, Middle Swan, Mount Lawley, South Perth, Victoria Park,

   
1961 22 May 1962–22 May 1965

Bayswater, Beeloo, Belmont, Maylands, Mount Lawley, South Perth, Swan, Victoria Park,

   

Representation

Members

Member 1 Party Term Member 2 Party Term Member 3 Party Term
William Brookman   1900–1903 Adam Jameson   1900–1903 James Speed   1900–1902
Barrington Wood   1902–1903
Joseph Langsford   1904–1911 Walter Kingsmill   1903–1910 Zebina Lane   1903–1908
Sydney Stubbs   Ministerial 1908–1911
James Doland   Labor 1911–1912 Douglas Gawler   Liberal 1910–1915 Frederick Davis   Labor 1911–1914
Archibald Sanderson   Liberal 1912–1917 Athelstan Saw   Liberal 1914–1917 Joseph Duffell   Liberal 1914–1917
  Nationalist 1917–1922   Nationalist 1917–1929   Nationalist 1917–1926
Harry Boan   Nationalist 1922–1924
Henry Stephenson   Nationalist 1924–1930 Sir William Lathlain   Nationalist 1926–1932
James Macfarlane   Nationalist 1930–1942 Sir Charles Nathan   Nationalist 1930–1934 Alec Clydesdale   Labor 1932–1938
Hubert Parker   Nationalist 1934–1945
Frank Gibson   Nationalist 1942–1945 James Dimmitt   Nationalist 1938–1945
  Liberal 1945–1956   Liberal 1945–1954   Liberal 1945–1953
George Jeffery   Labor 1956–1962 Ruby Hutchison   Labor 1954–1965 Arthur Griffith   Liberal 1953–1965
Herbert R. Robinson   Liberal 1962–1965

References