Electoral district of Eyre
Encyclopedia
Eyre is an electoral district
of the Legislative Assembly
in the Australia
n state of Western Australia
.
The district covers large tracts of the rural south-east of Western Australia
. It includes the following local government councils: Shire of Coolgardie
, Shire of Dundas
, Shire of Esperance
, Shire of Ravensthorpe
, Shire of Yilgarn, as well as a large part of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
. The district includes the towns of Bodallin
, Boulder
, Coolgardie
, Dundas
, Esperance
, Eucla
, Kambalda
, Marvel Loch
, Ravensthorpe
and Southern Cross
.
Politically, the district appears to be a safe Liberal seat. Based on the results of the 2005 state election
, the newly drawn electorate was created with a Liberal Party
majority of 64.9% to 34.1% versus the Labor Party
, according to one analysis.
. Labor MP Emil Nulsen, who had previously held the seat of Kanowna
, was the district's only member over the period, and was unopposed on two occasions.
Eyre was again created for the 1989 election
and abolished ahead of the 2005 state election
. The district ultimately included the Shires of Coolgardie
, Dundas
, Laverton
, Leonora
, Menzies
and Yilgarn, as well as the Boulder
district and non-metropolitan components of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
. It was held at all times by the Labor Party, and historically, only Southern Cross
returned a consistent majority for the Liberal Party. The district was largely replaced by Murchison-Eyre
.
An electorate named Eyre was created for a third time, on this occasion for the 2008 election
. The new district was drawn from parts of Murchison-Eyre
and Roe
– both of which were abolished – as well as a small part of Kalgoorlie
. Eyre is centred further south and west than its previous incarnations, incorporating large parts of the former Roe
district – which was always a non-Labor seat – in particular, the towns of Esperance
and Ravensthorpe
. For this reason, the new seat of Eyre is much less favourable to Labor than its predecessors. The new district's first and current member is Liberal MP Graham Jacobs
, who was previously the member for Roe
.
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...
.
The district covers large tracts of the rural south-east 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...
. It includes the following local government councils: Shire of Coolgardie
Shire of Coolgardie
The Shire of Coolgardie is a Local Government Area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, lying roughly west and south of the city of Kalgoorlie...
, Shire of Dundas
Shire of Dundas
The Shire of Dundas is a Local Government Area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, between Norseman and the South Australian border generally along the Eyre Highway, between 700 and 1,500 kilometres east of the state capital, Perth...
, Shire of Esperance
Shire of Esperance
The Shire of Esperance is a Local Government Area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, about south of the city of Kalgoorlie and about east-southeast of the state capital, Perth...
, Shire of Ravensthorpe
Shire of Ravensthorpe
The Shire of Ravensthorpe is a Local Government Area in the southern Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, about halfway between the city of Albany and the town of Esperance and about southeast of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the...
, Shire of Yilgarn, as well as a large part of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is a Local Government Area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, about east of the state capital, Perth. The City covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Kalgoorlie; all but 244 of the city's population live either in...
. The district includes the towns of Bodallin
Bodallin, Western Australia
Bodallin is a town located around half way between Merredin and Southern Cross in Western Australia.The town takes its name from the railway siding of this name, established between 1894 and 1897. When gazetted in 1918 the town was spelt Boddalin...
, Boulder
Boulder, Western Australia
Boulder was a town in the Western Australian goldfields east of Perth and bordering onto the town of Kalgoorlie in the Eastern Goldfields region. Until 1989 it was part of its own municipality. In 1989 the towns of Kalgoorlie and Boulder were merged to form the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder...
, Coolgardie
Coolgardie, Western Australia
Coolgardie is a small town in the Australian state of Western Australia, east of the state capital, Perth. It has a population of approximately 800 people....
, Dundas
Dundas, Western Australia
Dundas is the name of an abandoned town in the Goldfields-Esperance Region of Western Australia. The town is located about east of the Esperance Branch Railway, on the western shore of Lake Dundas....
, Esperance
Esperance, Western Australia
Esperance is a large town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, located on the Southern Ocean coastline approximately east-southeast of the state capital, Perth. The shire of Esperance is home to 9,536 people as of the 2006 census, its major industries are tourism, agriculture,...
, Eucla
Eucla, Western Australia
Eucla is the easternmost locality in Western Australia, located in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia along the Eyre Highway, approximately west of the South Australian border...
, Kambalda
Kambalda, Western Australia
Kambalda is a small mining town about 60 kilometres from the mining city of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, within the Goldfields. It is split into two townsites 4 kilometres apart, Kambalda East and Kambalda West; and is located on the western edge of a giant salt lake, Lake Lefroy...
, Marvel Loch
Marvel Loch, Western Australia
Marvel Loch is a small townsite of less than 100 people, some 401 km east of Perth, Western Australia. It is located 32 km south west of Southern Cross, along the Perth to Kalgoorlie Great Eastern Highway...
, Ravensthorpe
Ravensthorpe, Western Australia
Ravensthorpe is a town 541 km south east of Perth, 40 km inland from the south coast of Western Australia. It is the seat of government of the Shire of Ravensthorpe...
and Southern Cross
Southern Cross, Western Australia
Southern Cross is a town in Western Australia, 371 kilometres east of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. It was founded by gold prospectors in 1888, and gazetted in 1890. It is the major town and administrative centre of the Shire of Yilgarn...
.
Politically, the district appears to be a safe Liberal seat. Based on the results of the 2005 state election
Western Australian state election, 2005
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 26 February 2005 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, the newly drawn electorate was created with a Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
majority of 64.9% to 34.1% versus the Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, according to one analysis.
History
Eyre was first created for the 1950 election and abolished ahead of the 1962 electionWestern Australian state election, 1962
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 31 March 1962 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The Liberal-Country coalition government, led by Premier Sir David Brand, won a second term in office against the Labor Party, led by Opposition Leader Bert Hawke.The election...
. Labor MP Emil Nulsen, who had previously held the seat of Kanowna
Electoral district of Kanowna
Kanowna was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1901 to 1950.The district was located in the Goldfields region, and was based in the town of Kanowna. It was held by the Labor Party at all times...
, was the district's only member over the period, and was unopposed on two occasions.
Eyre was again created for the 1989 election
Western Australian state election, 1989
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 4 February 1989 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
and abolished ahead of the 2005 state election
Western Australian state election, 2005
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 26 February 2005 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
. The district ultimately included the Shires of Coolgardie
Shire of Coolgardie
The Shire of Coolgardie is a Local Government Area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, lying roughly west and south of the city of Kalgoorlie...
, Dundas
Shire of Dundas
The Shire of Dundas is a Local Government Area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, between Norseman and the South Australian border generally along the Eyre Highway, between 700 and 1,500 kilometres east of the state capital, Perth...
, Laverton
Shire of Laverton
The Shire of Laverton is a Local Government Area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, about northeast of the city of Kalgoorlie and about east-northeast of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Laverton.-History:The...
, Leonora
Shire of Leonora
The Shire of Leonora is a Local Government Area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, about north of the city of Kalgoorlie and about northeast of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Leonora.-History:Leonora was...
, Menzies
Shire of Menzies
The Shire of Menzies is a Local Government Area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia located to the north of Kalgoorlie. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Menzies.-History:...
and Yilgarn, as well as the Boulder
Boulder, Western Australia
Boulder was a town in the Western Australian goldfields east of Perth and bordering onto the town of Kalgoorlie in the Eastern Goldfields region. Until 1989 it was part of its own municipality. In 1989 the towns of Kalgoorlie and Boulder were merged to form the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder...
district and non-metropolitan components of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is a Local Government Area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, about east of the state capital, Perth. The City covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Kalgoorlie; all but 244 of the city's population live either in...
. It was held at all times by the Labor Party, and historically, only Southern Cross
Southern Cross, Western Australia
Southern Cross is a town in Western Australia, 371 kilometres east of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. It was founded by gold prospectors in 1888, and gazetted in 1890. It is the major town and administrative centre of the Shire of Yilgarn...
returned a consistent majority for the Liberal Party. The district was largely replaced by Murchison-Eyre
Electoral district of Murchison-Eyre
Murchison-Eyre was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1890 to 1989 and again from 2005 to 2008....
.
An electorate named Eyre was created for a third time, on this occasion for the 2008 election
Western 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...
. The new district was drawn from parts of Murchison-Eyre
Electoral district of Murchison-Eyre
Murchison-Eyre was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1890 to 1989 and again from 2005 to 2008....
and Roe
Electoral district of Roe
Roe was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1950 to 1983 and again from 1989 to 2008.The district was based in the rural south of Western Australia...
– both of which were abolished – as well as a small part of Kalgoorlie
Electoral district of Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.The district includes not only the town of Kalgoorlie, but significant parts of the outback in central and eastern Western Australia....
. Eyre is centred further south and west than its previous incarnations, incorporating large parts of the former Roe
Electoral district of Roe
Roe was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1950 to 1983 and again from 1989 to 2008.The district was based in the rural south of Western Australia...
district – which was always a non-Labor seat – in particular, the towns of Esperance
Esperance, Western Australia
Esperance is a large town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, located on the Southern Ocean coastline approximately east-southeast of the state capital, Perth. The shire of Esperance is home to 9,536 people as of the 2006 census, its major industries are tourism, agriculture,...
and Ravensthorpe
Ravensthorpe, Western Australia
Ravensthorpe is a town 541 km south east of Perth, 40 km inland from the south coast of Western Australia. It is the seat of government of the Shire of Ravensthorpe...
. For this reason, the new seat of Eyre is much less favourable to Labor than its predecessors. The new district's first and current member is Liberal MP Graham Jacobs
Graham Jacobs
Graham Gibson Jacobs has been a Liberal member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since 2008.First elected to the seat of Roe at the 2005 election, he has been the member for Eyre since the 2008 election following the abolition of his former seat.Jacobs was born in Benalla, Victoria...
, who was previously the member for Roe
Electoral district of Roe
Roe was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1950 to 1983 and again from 1989 to 2008.The district was based in the rural south of Western Australia...
.
Members for Eyre
| First incarnation (1950–1962) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | Term | |
| Emil Nulsen | Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
1950–1962 | |
| Second incarnation (1989–2005) | |||
| Member | Party | Term | |
| Julian Grill Julian Grill Julian Fletcher Grill is a former member of the Australian Labor Party and Member of the Parliament of Western Australia as the Member for Eyre.... |
Labor | 1989–2001 | |
| John Bowler John Bowler (politician) John James Mansell Bowler is a Western Australian politician who has represented the electoral district of Murchison-Eyre since 2001.... |
Labor | 2001–2005 | |
| Third incarnation (2008–present) | |||
| Graham Jacobs Graham Jacobs Graham Gibson Jacobs has been a Liberal member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since 2008.First elected to the seat of Roe at the 2005 election, he has been the member for Eyre since the 2008 election following the abolition of his former seat.Jacobs was born in Benalla, Victoria... |
Liberal Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
2008–present | |