Lower West Province

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The Lower West Province was a two-member electoral province of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the Peel and South West region of the state. It was one of several rural seats created following the enactment of the Constitution Acts Amendment Act (No.2) 1963, and became effective on 22 May 1965. It was consistently a safe seat for the Liberal Party who were able to maintain both seats comfortably.

In 1989, the province was abolished by the Acts Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 1987, and was integrated into the South West and East Metropolitan regions under the new proportional voting system.

Geography[edit]

The province was made up of several complete Legislative Assembly districts, which changed at each distribution.

Redistribution Period Electoral districts Electors % of State
1963–64 22 May 1965 – 22 May 1968

Bunbury, Murray, Wellington

16,433 4.56
1966 22 May 1968 – 22 May 1974 17,433 4.22
1972 22 May 1974 – 22 May 1977

Dale, Murray, Rockingham

21,566 3.92
1976 22 May 1977 – 22 May 1983 23,200 3.67
1982 22 May 1983 – 22 May 1989

Dale, Mandurah, Murray-Wellington

25,493 3.59

Representation[edit]

Members[edit]

Member 1 Party Term Member 2 Party Term
Neil McNeill   Liberal 1965–1983   Graham MacKinnon   Liberal 1965–1974
Ian Pratt   Liberal 1974–1986
Colin Bell   Liberal 1983–1989 Beryl Jones   Labor 1986–1989

References[edit]

  • Black, David (1991). Legislative Council of Western Australia : membership register, electoral law and statistics, 1890-1989. Perth: Parliamentary History Project. ISBN 0-7309-3641-4.