Electoral district of Murray-Wellington

Murray-Wellington
Western AustraliaLegislative Assembly
State Western Australia
Dates current 1890–present1
MP Murray Cowper
Party Liberal
Namesake Murray River; Wellington Land District
Area 4,244 km2 (1,638.6 sq mi)
Demographic South West
Footnotes

Murray-Wellington is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia. The seat's current member is Liberal MP Murray Cowper.

Originally known as Murray, it was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 election. The district is a regional electorate situated between Mandurah and Bunbury. The seat has alternated between the names Murray and Murray-Wellington to reflect its geography.

The seat has been a traditional stronghold for the Liberal Party, having been won only once by the Labor Party.

Geography

In its present configuration, Murray-Wellington is a coastal electorate running from the eastern outskirts of Mandurah to the northern outskirts of Bunbury. It covers three local government areas – Shire of Murray, Shire of Waroona and the Shire of Harvey – including all of the latter two and the vast geographic majority of the former. Its major population centres include the towns of Dwellingup, Harvey, North Dandalup, North Yunderup, Pinjarra, South Yunderup and Waroona as well as the northern Bunbury suburbs of Australind and Leschenault.

History

The seat of Murray-Wellington (or Murray) has long been a stronghold of the Liberal Party and its predecessor parties. The district's most famous member was Ross McLarty, Premier of Western Australia between 1947 and 1953, who held the seat from 1930 to 1962.

The seat's one Labor member, Keith Read, arrived as a result of the 1989 state election. Read won the vacant seat even as his father and then Labor MP John Read was defeated in the neighbouring seat of Mandurah. Keith Read was defeated at the 1993 state election.

Members for Murray-Wellington

Murray (1890–1911)
MemberPartyTerm
  William Paterson 1890–1895
  William James George Opposition 1895–1902
  William Atkins Independent 1902–1904
  John McLarty Ministerial 1904–1909
  William James George Ministerial 1909–1911
Murray-Wellington (1911–1950)
  William James George Liberal (WA) 1911–1917
  Nationalist 1917–1930
  Ross McLarty Nationalist 1930–1945
  Liberal 1945–1949
  Liberal Country League 1949–1950
Murray (1950–1983)
  Ross McLarty Liberal Country League 1950–1962
  Henry Runciman Liberal Country League 1962–1968
  Liberal 1968–1974
  Richard Shalders Liberal 1974–1983
Murray-Wellington (1983–1989)
  John Bradshaw Liberal 1983–1989
Murray (1989–1996)
  Keith Read Labor 1989–1993
  Arthur Marshall Liberal 1993–1996
Murray-Wellington (1996–2005)
  John Bradshaw Liberal 1996–2005
Murray (2005–2008)
  Murray Cowper Liberal 2005–2008
Murray-Wellington (2008–present)
  Murray Cowper Liberal 2008–present

Election results

Western Australian state election, 2013: Murray-Wellington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Murray Cowper 10,044 49.9 +4.9
Labor David Scaife 5,674 28.2 –1.4
WA Nationals Michael Rose 2,280 11.3 +3.3
Greens Deni Fuller 1,134 5.6 –1.2
Family First Laurie Rankin 621 3.1 –3.1
Independent Norm Heslington 383 1.9 +1.9
Total formal votes 20,136 93.0 -1.1
Informal votes 1,507 7.0 +1.1
Turnout 21,643 90.5
Two-party-preferred result
Liberal Murray Cowper 12,476 62.0 +3.2
Labor David Scaife 7,653 38.0 –3.2
Liberal hold Swing +3.2

References

    External links

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