Electoral district of North Perth
Encyclopedia
The Electoral district of North Perth was a Legislative Assembly
electorate
in the state
of Western Australia
. The district was named for its location immediately to the north of the central business district of Perth
.
North Perth was created under the Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1896, which took effect at the 1897 election
. Its first election was notable in producing Western Australia's first Labor
member of Parliament, Charles Oldham, who was a former president of the Trades and Labor Council and had become an employer, and hence could afford to run in the days prior to payment of members. Oldham associated with the official opposition led by George Leake
, but ultimately his seat was declared vacant for non-attendance on 16 October 1900. An independent, Richard Speight
, won at the subsequent general election
four months later, but died just seven months into his term.
The seat changed hands several times between Labor and non-Labor members until 1914, when James MacCallum Smith
won the seat for the Liberal party, which folded into the Nationalist
. He and his Nationalist successor Arthur Abbott were the seat's only members until a major redistribution following the abolition of the neighbouring Perth
seat at the 1950 election transformed it into a marginal seat. Future Premier of Western Australia
(1982–1983), Ray O'Connor
, won his first term of office against the incumbent Labor member Stan Lapham in the 1959 election
. The seat was abolished in a redistribution in 1961 ahead of the 1962 election
, and the seat was split between a recreated Perth seat and Mount Lawley
.
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....
electorate
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....
in the state
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
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 was named for its location immediately to the north of the central business district of Perth
Perth, 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....
.
North Perth was created under the Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1896, which took effect at the 1897 election
Western Australian state election, 1897
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia between 27 April and 26 May 1897 to elect 44 members to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The Ministerialist group led by John Forrest won a third term in office as a result of the elections...
. Its first election was notable in producing Western Australia's first 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...
member of Parliament, Charles Oldham, who was a former president of the Trades and Labor Council and had become an employer, and hence could afford to run in the days prior to payment of members. Oldham associated with the official opposition led by George Leake
George Leake
George Leake CMG QC was Premier of Western Australia from 27 May 1901 to 21 November 1901, and again from 23 December 1901 until his death on 24 June 1902.-Early life:...
, but ultimately his seat was declared vacant for non-attendance on 16 October 1900. An independent, Richard Speight
Richard Speight
Richard Speight was an English-born railway commissioner in Victoria, Australia. After a career in railway management in England, he accepted the new post of railway commissioner of the Railways Department of Victoria, in 1883. He was tasked with implementing the Railway Construction Act 1884,...
, won at the subsequent general election
Western Australian state election, 1901
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 24 April 1901 to elect 50 members to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly...
four months later, but died just seven months into his term.
The seat changed hands several times between Labor and non-Labor members until 1914, when James MacCallum Smith
James MacCallum Smith
James MacCallum Smith was an Australian politician, newspaper proprietor and stock breeder. He lobbied unsuccessfully for many years for the secession of Western Australia from the Federation of Australia....
won the seat for the Liberal party, which folded into the Nationalist
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
. He and his Nationalist successor Arthur Abbott were the seat's only members until a major redistribution following the abolition of the neighbouring Perth
Electoral district of Perth
The Electoral district of Perth is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. Perth is named for the capital city of Western Australia whose central business district falls within its borders. It is one of the oldest electorates in Western Australia, with its first member...
seat at the 1950 election transformed it into a marginal seat. Future Premier of Western Australia
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
(1982–1983), Ray O'Connor
Ray O'Connor
Raymond James "Ray" O'Connor was the 22nd Premier of Western Australia.-Pre-political life:He was born in Perth and attended schools in towns of Narrogin and York, and St Patrick's Boys' School in Perth...
, won his first term of office against the incumbent Labor member Stan Lapham in the 1959 election
Western Australian state election, 1959
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 21 March 1959 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The result was a hung parliament—the two-term Labor government, led by Premier Bert Hawke, was defeated with an average swing against it of about 7 per cent, but the...
. The seat was abolished in a redistribution in 1961 ahead of the 1962 election
Western 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...
, and the seat was split between a recreated Perth seat and Mount Lawley
Electoral district of Mount Lawley
Mount Lawley is an electorate in the state of Western Australia. Mount Lawley is named for the inner north-eastern Perth suburb of Mount Lawley which falls within its borders....
.
Members for North Perth
| Member | Party | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Oldham | PLP (Labor) | 1897–1900 | |
| Richard Speight Richard Speight Richard Speight was an English-born railway commissioner in Victoria, Australia. After a career in railway management in England, he accepted the new post of railway commissioner of the Railways Department of Victoria, in 1883. He was tasked with implementing the Railway Construction Act 1884,... |
Independent | 1901 | |
| George McWilliams | Oppositionist | 1901–1904 | |
| Francis Ford Wilson | 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... |
1904–1905 | |
| James Brebber | Ministerialist | 1905–1908 | |
| Herbert Swan | Labor | 1908–1914 | |
| James MacCallum Smith James MacCallum Smith James MacCallum Smith was an Australian politician, newspaper proprietor and stock breeder. He lobbied unsuccessfully for many years for the secession of Western Australia from the Federation of Australia.... |
Liberal (WA) | 1914–1917 | |
| Nationalist Nationalist Party of Australia The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime... |
1917–1939 | ||
| Arthur Abbott | Nationalist | 1939–1950 | |
| Ted Needham Ted Needham Edward "Ted" Needham was an English-born Australian politician. Born in Lancashire, he was educated at Catholic schools before becoming a coal miner and shipyard worker. He migrated to Australia in 1900, becoming a boilermaker in Fremantle, Western Australia... |
Labor | 1950–1953 | |
| Stan Lapham | Labor | 1953–1959 | |
| Ray O'Connor Ray O'Connor Raymond James "Ray" O'Connor was the 22nd Premier of Western Australia.-Pre-political life:He was born in Perth and attended schools in towns of Narrogin and York, and St Patrick's Boys' School in Perth... |
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... |
1959–1962 | |