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.
RedistributionPeriodElectoral districtsElectors% of State 1893 22 May 1894 – 22 May 1898Perth, East Perth, West Perth 1896 22 May 1898 – 22 May 1900Perth, East Perth, North Perth, West Perth 1899 22 May 1900 – 22 May 1904Perth, 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 1956Claremont, Cottesloe, East Perth, Leederville, Nedlands, North Perth, Subiaco, Wembley Beaches, West Perth 1955 22 May 1956 – 22 May 1962Claremont, Cottesloe, East Perth, Leederville, Mount Hawthorn, Nedlands, North Perth, Subiaco, Wembley Beaches, West Perth 1961 22 May 1962 – 22 May 1965Balcatta, Claremont, Cottesloe, Karrinyup, Mount Hawthorn, Nedlands, Perth, Subiaco, Wembley 1963–64 22 May 1965 – 22 May 1968Claremont, Cottesloe, Nedlands, Perth, Subiaco 1966 22 May 1968 – 22 May 1974Cottesloe, 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