Electoral district of Mitchell (Western Australia)

Mitchell was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia. It existed from 1983 to 2005 and, under the name Leschenault, continued until 2008.

Mitchell
Western Australia—Legislative Assembly
StateWestern Australia
Dates current1983–2008
NamesakeSir James Mitchell
Area27.0 km2 (10.4 sq mi)
DemographicSouth West

History

Mitchell was created at the 1982 redistribution and was named for Sir James Mitchell GCMG, former Premier (1919–1924; 1930–1933) and Lieutenant-Governor of Western Australia (1933–1951), who was born in Dardanup within the original boundaries of the electorate.[1] It was first contested at the 1983 election. The district was initially a reasonably safe Labor seat based in the eastern and southern suburbs of the regional city of Bunbury, but as Bunbury grew, the seat contracted in size and moved northwards, centring on Australind. The seat then switched to the Liberal Party's Dan Sullivan, who held it until its abolishment. At the 2003 redistribution, the seat was renamed as the Commissioners believed the name "Mitchell" had no connection to the seat as it now stood, and the Leschenault Inlet north and northeast of Bunbury was a clear geographic landmark.[2]

The 2007 redistribution, which came into effect at the 2008 election, saw the electorate abolished, with its former area being subsumed into Bunbury (Glen Iris, Pelican Point and Picton), Collie-Preston (Eaton) and Murray-Wellington (Australind, Kingston and Leschenault).[3]

Geography

When it was first created, the seat included the suburbs of Carey Park, Eaton, Gelorup, Glen Iris, Picton and Withers, and the towns of Boyanup, Burekup, Capel, Dardanup, Elgin and Waterloo. Almost half of all votes taken were at Carey Park (70.8% ALP—1986) and Withers (72.1% ALP—1986). Australind at that time was within the Murray-Wellington electorate.[4]

After the 1994 redistribution, taking effect from the 1996 election, the seat contained the suburbs of Australind, most of Carey Park, College Grove, Eaton, Gelorup, Glen Iris and Picton.

After the 2003 redistribution, the seat contained the suburbs of Australind, Eaton, Glen Iris, Leschenault and Picton, as well as the new development areas of Kingston and Pelican Point.[5]

Members for Mitchell
MemberPartyTerm
  David Smith Labor 1983–1996
  Dan Sullivan Liberal 1996–2008
  Family First 2008

Election results
Main article: Electoral results for the district of Mitchell (Western Australia)
gollark: You can never never run out.
gollark: Also ***COLLECTING RANDOM JUNK***.
gollark: I would hoard more but ***BSA REDS***.
gollark: I mean, I've gotten to nearly gold in slightly less than half the year...
gollark: Some people have bigger hoards of one thing than I do all dragons.

References
  1. "Electoral Districts Act 1947-1981 - Order in Council". Western Australia Government Gazette. 20 January 1982. p. 1982:113-173.
  2. "Electoral Distributions Act 1947 - Division of the State into Electoral Regions and Districts by the Electoral Distribution Commissioners". Western Australia Government Gazette. 4 August 2003. p. 2003:3475-3566.
  3. Western Australian Electoral Commission (29 October 2007). "2007 Electoral Distribution - Final Boundaries - South West Region - Bunbury". Archived from the original on 2008-09-20. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
  4. Statistics relating to the General Election hend on 8 February 1986, Western Australian Electoral Office, p.24 (Mitchell); 29 (Murray-Wellington).
  5. Western Australian Electoral Commission (4 August 2003). "2003 Electoral Distribution - Final Boundaries - South West Region - Leschenault". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
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