Metropolitan Province (Western Australia)


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 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
189322 May 1894 – 22 May 1898
Perth,
East Perth,
West Perth
189622 May 1898 – 22 May 1900
Perth,
East Perth,
North Perth,
West Perth
189922 May 1900 – 22 May 1904
Perth,
East Perth,
North Perth,
West Perth
190422 May 1904 – 22 May 1912
Perth,
East Perth,
North Perth,
West Perth
191122 May 1912 – 22 May 1930
Perth,
East Perth,
North Perth,
West Perth
192922 May 1930 – 22 May 1950
Perth,
East Perth,
North Perth,
West Perth
194822 May 1950 – 22 May 1956
Claremont,
Cottesloe,
East Perth,
Leederville,
Nedlands,
North Perth,
Subiaco,
Wembley Beaches,
West Perth
195522 May 1956 – 22 May 1962
Claremont,
Cottesloe,
East Perth,
Leederville,
Mount Hawthorn,
Nedlands,
North Perth,
Subiaco,
Wembley Beaches,
West Perth
196122 May 1962 – 22 May 1965
Balcatta,
Claremont,
Cottesloe,
Karrinyup,
Mount Hawthorn,
Nedlands,
Perth,
Subiaco,
Wembley
1963–6422 May 1965 – 22 May 1968
Claremont,
Cottesloe,
Nedlands,
Perth,
Subiaco
196622 May 1968 – 22 May 1974
Cottesloe,
Floreat,
Nedlands,
Perth,
Subiaco
197222 May 1974 – 22 May 1977
Cottesloe,
Floreat,
Nedlands,
Perth,
Subiaco
197622 May 1977 – 22 May 1983
Cottesloe,
Floreat,
Nedlands,
Perth,
Subiaco
198222 May 1983 – 22 May 1989
Cottesloe,
Floreat,
Nedlands,
Perth,
Subiaco

Representation

Members

; Three-member seat
; Two-member seat