Electoral district of Murray-Wellington

Murray-Wellington is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia. The seat's current member is Labor MLA Robyn Clarke.

Murray-Wellington Western Australia—Legislative Assembly
Location of Murray-Wellington (dark green) in Western Australia
State	Western Australia
Dates current	1890–present^1
MP	Robyn Clarke
Party	Labor
Namesake	Murray River; Wellington Land District
Electors	28,967 (2019)
Area	4,320 km^2 (1,668.0 sq mi)
Demographic	South West
Footnotes
^1 known as Murray 1890–1911, 1950–1983, 1989–1996, 2005–2008

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 twice 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 traditionally been a stronghold of the Liberal Party and its predecessor parties, but became a marginal seat held by Labor following the 2017 state election. 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 current Labor member, Robyn Clarke, arrived as a result of the 2017 state election. The seat's only other Labor member, Keith Read, won the vacant seat at the 1989 state election, 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)
Member		Party	Term
	William Paterson	Non-aligned	1890–1895
	William George	Opposition	1895–1902
	William Atkins	Independent	1902–1904
	John McLarty	Ministerial	1904–1909
	William George	Ministerial	1909–1911
Murray-Wellington (1911–1950)
	William George	Liberal	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
	Ewart 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	2008–2017
	Robyn Clarke	Labor	2017–present

Election results

2017 Western Australian state election: Murray-Wellington[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Robyn Clarke	8,484	36.1	+7.9
	Liberal	Murray Cowper	6,910	29.4	−20.5
	One Nation	Ross Slater	2,652	11.3	+11.3
	National	Paul Gillett	2,628	11.2	−0.2
	Shooters, Fishers, Farmers	Mark McCall	1,516	6.4	+6.4
	Greens	Callum Burwood	1,061	4.5	−1.1
	Flux the System!	Daniel Radley	274	1.2	+1.2
Total formal votes			23,525	94.9	+1.8
Informal votes			1,275	5.1	−1.8
Turnout			24,800	88.5	+3.0
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Robyn Clarke	12,082	51.4	+13.4
	Liberal	Murray Cowper	11,430	48.6	−13.4
	Labor gain from Liberal		Swing	+13.4

References

1. Murray-Wellington District Profile and Results, 2017 State General Election, WAEC.

External links

• ABC Election Profiles: 2005 2008
• WAEC District Maps: 1996–2005 2005–2008 2008– 2017-