Electoral district of Central Wheatbelt
Encyclopedia
Central Wheatbelt is an electoral district
of the Legislative Assembly
in the Australia
n state of Western Australia
.
As the name suggests, the district is centrally located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia
.
Politically, Central Wheatbelt is a safe National Party
seat.
. It was essentially an almagamation of the abolished National-held districts of Avon
and Merredin
, although parts of each ended up in neighbouring districts. Roughly half the new district's voters came from each of the two former districts.
The original proposal had the newly created district persisting with the name Merredin. However, this was the focus of several objections, as Merredin is but one town in the eastern part of this sizeable electorate. Instead, the more generic name of Central Wheatbelt was adopted.
The inaugural member for Central Wheatbelt is National Party leader Brendon Grylls
, who was previously the member for Merredin.
. Its population centres include Ballidu
, Beacon
, Beverley
, Meckering
, Merredin
, Narembeen
, Northam
, Westonia
, Wongan Hills
, Wundowie
, Wyalkatchem
and York
.
Electoral districts of Western Australia
The Western Australian Legislative Assembly is elected from 59 single-member electoral districts. These districts are often referred to as electorates or seats....
of the Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
As the name suggests, the district is centrally located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Politically, Central Wheatbelt is a safe National Party
National Party of Western Australia
The National Party of Western Australia is a political party in Western Australia. It is affiliated with the National Party of Australia but maintains a separate structure and identity....
seat.
History
Central Wheatbelt was first created for the 2008 state electionWestern Australian state election, 2008
A general election was held in the state of Western Australia on Saturday 6 September 2008 to elect 59 members to the Legislative Assembly and 36 members to the Legislative Council...
. It was essentially an almagamation of the abolished National-held districts of Avon
Electoral district of Avon
Avon was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1911 to 2008. The name of the district was changed to Avon Valley in 1950, but reverted back to its original name in 1962....
and Merredin
Electoral district of Merredin
Merredin was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1950 to 2008.Originally known as Merredin-Yilgarn, the name was shortened in 1977...
, although parts of each ended up in neighbouring districts. Roughly half the new district's voters came from each of the two former districts.
The original proposal had the newly created district persisting with the name Merredin. However, this was the focus of several objections, as Merredin is but one town in the eastern part of this sizeable electorate. Instead, the more generic name of Central Wheatbelt was adopted.
The inaugural member for Central Wheatbelt is National Party leader Brendon Grylls
Brendon Grylls
Brendon John Grylls is an Australian politician and is currently the Member for Central Wheatbelt in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, as well as the Leader of the National Party of Western Australia. Grylls has been the Minister for Regional Development and Minister for Lands in the...
, who was previously the member for Merredin.
Geography
Central Wheatbelt incorporates a number of rural inland shires to the east of PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. Its population centres include Ballidu
Ballidu, Western Australia
Ballidu is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, about north of Perth. Ballidu is also north of the town of Wongan Hills which, along with a few other small towns such as Cadoux and Bindi Bindi make up the Shire of Wongan-Ballidu....
, Beacon
Beacon, Western Australia
Beacon is a town in Western Australia, in the Shire of Mount Marshall. It is located 42 km north of Bencubbin and 333 km northeast of Perth....
, Beverley
Beverley, Western Australia
Beverley is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, south-east of the state capital, Perth, between York and Brookton on the Great Southern Highway...
, Meckering
Meckering, Western Australia
Meckering is a town 130 km east of Perth, Western Australia along the Great Eastern Highway. Meckering is located within the Shire of Cunderdin.A railway line was completed in the area in 1895 and Meckering was selected as a station site...
, Merredin
Merredin, Western Australia
-Economy:The agricultural land around Merredin produces 40% of Western Australia’s wheat quota. As a focal point for the region, Merredin’s local bulk handling co-operative receives and processes in excess of a million tonnes of grain every year...
, Narembeen
Narembeen, Western Australia
Narembeen is a town in the Western Australia wheatbelt. It is 286 km, almost due east, from Perth, the capital of WA. It is the major settlement in the Shire of Narembeen, in which the major industries are growing cereal crops and raising cattle and sheep....
, Northam
Northam, Western Australia
Northam is a town in Western Australia, situated at the confluence of the Avon and Mortlock Rivers, about north-east of Perth in the Avon Valley. At the 2006 census, Northam had a population of 6,009. Northam is the largest town in the Avon region...
, Westonia
Westonia, Western Australia
Westonia is a small town located in the Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, 10 kilometres north of the Great Eastern Highway. It is the main town in the Shire of Westonia.-History:...
, Wongan Hills
Wongan Hills, Western Australia
Wongan Hills is a town in the Shire of Wongan-Ballidu, in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. The town is approximately 182 km north of the State capital Perth, at an altitude of 286 metres....
, Wundowie
Wundowie, Western Australia
Wundowie is a town in Western Australia located between Perth and Northam in the Darling Range. It was the location of an iron works, and siding and stopping place on the Eastern Railway....
, Wyalkatchem
Wyalkatchem, Western Australia
Wyalkatchem townsite is located in the central agricultural region, east north east of Perth and east of Dowerin. At the 2006 census, Wyalkatchem had a population of 344....
and York
York, Western Australia
York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated 97 km east of Perth in the Avon Valley near Northam, and is the seat of the Shire of York...
.
Members for Central Wheatbelt
| Member | Party | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brendon Grylls Brendon Grylls Brendon John Grylls is an Australian politician and is currently the Member for Central Wheatbelt in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, as well as the Leader of the National Party of Western Australia. Grylls has been the Minister for Regional Development and Minister for Lands in the... |
National National Party of Western Australia The National Party of Western Australia is a political party in Western Australia. It is affiliated with the National Party of Australia but maintains a separate structure and identity.... |
2008–present | |