Murray-Wellington Western Australia—Legislative Assembly
State or territory:	Western Australia
Dates current:	1890–present1
MP:	Murray Cowper
Party:	Liberal
Namesake:	Murray River; Wellington Land District
Area:	4,244 km² (1,639 sq mi)
Demographic:	South West
1 known 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.

Originally known as Murray, it was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election. The district is a regional electorate situated between Mandurah and Bunbury. The seat's name has alternated between the names Murray and Murray-Wellington on a number of occasions to reflect the geography it covers.

The seat has been a traditional stronghold for the Liberal Party, having been captured on only one occasion by the rival Labor Party.

Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Members 4 External links

[edit] 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, Clifton Park and Leschenault.

[edit] History

The seat of Murray-Wellington (or Murray) has long been a stronghold of the Liberal Party and its predecessor parties. 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 one Labor member, Keith Read, arrived as a result of the 1989 state election. Read won the vacant seat even as his father and then Labor MP John Read was defeated in the neighbouring seat of Mandurah. Keith Read survived just one term before his defeat at the 1993 state election.

The seat's current member is Liberal MP Murray Cowper.

[edit] Members

Murray (1890–1911)
Member		Party	Term
	William Paterson		1890–1895
	William James George	Independent	1895–1902
	William Atkins	Independent	1902–1904
	John McLarty	Ministerial	1904–1909
	William James George	Ministerial	1909–1911
Murray-Wellington (1911–1950)
	William James George	Liberal (WA)	1911–1917
		Nationalist	1917–1930
	Ross McLarty	Nationalist	1930–1945
		Liberal	1945–1950
Murray (1950–1983)
	Ross McLarty	Liberal	1950–1962
	Henry Runciman	Liberal	1962–1974
	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–present

[edit] External links

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

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