The Metropolitan Province was a multi-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 1893, and became effective on 22 May 1894 following the first council elections following the granting of responsible government to Western Australia. The seat was safe for the Liberal Party and its predecessors.

Until the 1950 elections, it covered Perth's central business district and nearby environs, but moved at that point to the western and northern suburbs while still extending to include Perth itself. 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 shrinking into the wealthy western suburbs region. Thereafter, it was a safe seat for the Liberal Party. In 1989, the province was abolished by the Acts Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 1987, and with two others became part of the North Metropolitan Region under the new proportional voting system.

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.

Redistribution Period Electoral districts Electors % of State
1893 22 May 1894 – 22 May 1898

Perth, East Perth, West Perth

   
1896 22 May 1898 – 22 May 1900

Perth, East Perth, North Perth, West Perth

   
1899 22 May 1900 – 22 May 1904

Perth, East Perth, North Perth, West Perth

   
1904 22 May 1904 – 22 May 1912    
1911 22 May 1912 – 22 May 1930    
1929 22 May 1930 – 22 May 1950    
1948 22 May 1950 – 22 May 1956

Claremont, Cottesloe, East Perth, Leederville, Nedlands, North Perth, Subiaco, Wembley Beaches, West Perth

   
1955 22 May 1956 – 22 May 1962

Claremont, Cottesloe, East Perth, Leederville, Mount Hawthorn, Nedlands, North Perth, Subiaco, Wembley Beaches, West Perth

   
1961 22 May 1962 – 22 May 1965

Balcatta, Claremont, Cottesloe, Karrinyup, Mount Hawthorn, Nedlands, Perth, Subiaco, Wembley

   
1963–64 22 May 1965 – 22 May 1968

Claremont, Cottesloe, Nedlands, Perth, Subiaco

   
1966 22 May 1968 – 22 May 1974

Cottesloe, Floreat, Nedlands, Perth, Subiaco

   
1972 22 May 1974 – 22 May 1977    
1976 22 May 1977 – 22 May 1983    
1982 22 May 1983 – 22 May 1989    

Representation

Members

Three-member seat
Member 1 Party Term Member 2 Party Term Member 3 Party Term
Sir George Shenton   1894–1906 Stephen Henry Parker   1894–1897 Henry Saunders   1894–1902
George Randell   1897–1910
James Wright   1902–1908
Charles Sommers   Liberal 1906–1918 Walter Kingsmill   1903–1922 Arthur Jenkins   Liberal 1908–1917
Harry Boan   Nationalist 1917–1918
Henry Saunders   Independent 1918–1919 John Nicholson   Nationalist 1918–1941
Arthur Lovekin   Nationalist 1919–1931 James Macfarlane   Nationalist 1922–1928
Leonard Bolton   Nationalist 1932–1945 James Franklin   Nationalist 1928–1940
Sir Hal Colebatch   Nationalist 1940–1945 James Hislop   Nationalist 1941–1945
  Liberal 1945–1948   Liberal 1945–1948   Liberal 1945–1965
Keith Watson   Liberal 1948–1965 Harry Hearn   Liberal 1948–1956
Reg Mattiske   Liberal 1956–1965
Two-member seat
Member 1 Party Term Member 2 Party Term
James Hislop   Liberal 1965–1971 Keith Watson   Liberal 1965–1968
John Williams   Liberal 1971–1989 Ian Medcalf   Liberal 1968–1986
Max Evans   Liberal 1986–1989

References

Category