Electoral district of Murray-Wellington

Last updated

Murray-Wellington
Western AustraliaLegislative Assembly
WA Election 2021 - Murray-Wellington.png
Electoral district of Murray-Wellington
Interactive map of district boundaries
State Western Australia
Dates current1890–present1
MP David Bolt
Party Liberal
Namesake Murray River; Wellington Land District
Electors 34,016 (2025)
Area4,250 km2 (1,640.9 sq mi)
DemographicRural
Electorates around Murray-Wellington:
Secret Harbour
Mandurah
Darling Range Central Wheatbelt
Dawesville
Indian Ocean
Murray-Wellington Central Wheatbelt
Bunbury Collie-Preston Collie-Preston
Footnotes
1known as Murray 1890–1911, 1950–1983, 1989–1996, 2005–2008

Murray-Wellington is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.

Contents

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, though the opposing Labor Party has won the seat three times in the last four decades.

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)
MemberPartyTerm
  William Paterson Non-aligned1890–1895
  William George Opposition1895–1902
  William Atkins Independent1902–1904
  John McLarty Ministerial1904–1909
 William GeorgeMinisterial1909–1911
Murray-Wellington (1911–1950)
 William George Liberal 1911–1917
  Nationalist 1917–1930
  Ross McLarty Nationalist1930–1945
  Liberal 1945–1949
  Liberal Country League 1949–1950
Murray (1950–1983)
 Ross McLartyLiberal Country League1950–1962
  Ewart Runciman Liberal Country League1962–1968
 Liberal1968–1974
  Richard Shalders Liberal1974–1983
Murray-Wellington (1983–1989)
  John Bradshaw Liberal1983–1989
Murray (1989–1996)
  Keith Read Labor 1989–1993
  Arthur Marshall Liberal1993–1996
Murray-Wellington (1996–2005)
 John BradshawLiberal1996–2005
Murray (2005–2008)
  Murray Cowper Liberal2005–2008
Murray-Wellington (2008–present)
 Murray CowperLiberal2008–2017
  Robyn Clarke Labor2017–2025
  David Bolt Liberal2025–present

Election results

2025 Western Australian state election: Murray-Wellington [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor Robyn Clarke 9,77734.8−23.1
Liberal David Bolt 9,51833.9+9.6
One Nation Lucas Zwikielberg2,3888.5+6.4
National Paul Gillett1,9957.1+4.0
Greens Vince Puccio1,7746.3+3.5
Legalise Cannabis Mark Schneider1,2494.4+1.6
Shooters, Fishers, Farmers Joe Gurak8653.1−1.5
Christians Deonne Kingsford5522.0+2.0
Total formal votes28,11895.2+0.1
Informal votes1,4074.8−0.1
Turnout 29,52586.8+4.4
Two-party-preferred result
Liberal David Bolt 14,52051.7+18.9
Labor Robyn Clarke 13,58148.3−18.9
Liberal gain from Labor Swing +18.9

References