Belmont
Western Australia—Legislative Assembly
Location of Belmont (dark green) in the Perth metropolitan area
StateWestern Australia
Dates current1962–1974; 1989–present
MPCassie Rowe
PartyLabor
NamesakeBelmont
Electors30,025 (2021)
Area70 km2 (27.0 sq mi)
DemographicMetropolitan
Coordinates31°57′S 115°58′E / 31.95°S 115.96°E / -31.95; 115.96

Belmont is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia. Belmont is named for the inner eastern Perth suburb of Belmont, which falls within its borders.

The seat was in its present incarnation considered a safe Labor seat prior to 2013, and was held by former Labor leader Eric Ripper; however, it fell to Liberal Glenys Godfrey in the Liberal landslide at the 2013 state election. Belmont reverted to its status as a safe Labor seat when Cassie Rowe won it at the 2017 state election.

History

Belmont was initially within the vast electorate of Canning. In 1911, 50 people voted at the Belmont and Welshpool Road booths, and by 1950, this had grown to 410 at Belmont, 685 at Welshpool and 692 at Queens Park. However, the area grew rapidly following the Second World War as industry developed at Belmont, Kewdale and Forrestfield, and Housing Commission areas were built to support them. At the 1955 redistribution, the new electorate of Beeloo was created—the only district to be so created.[1] The previous member for Canning, Labor member Colin Jamieson who was first elected in 1953, secured the seat at the 1956 election.

At the 1962 election, Beeloo moved further south into Cannington and Queens Park, whilst a new seat of Belmont was created with boundaries not dissimilar to the present seat.[2] It was represented by former Speaker James Hegney until 1968.

At the redistribution taking effect from the 1968 election, Beeloo was abolished, and a new seat of Ascot was created north and south of the Swan River. Belmont shifted southwards and was won by Jamieson at the election. When the electorate lost the suburb of Belmont to Ascot in the distribution prior to the 1974 election, the electorate was renamed Welshpool.[3] Ascot, initially represented by Merv Toms until his death while presiding as Speaker on 8 October 1971, was then won by schoolteacher Mal Bryce who went on to become Deputy Premier to Brian Burke from 1983 to 1988. At the by-election held to replace him on 17 February 1988, schoolteacher and union organiser Eric Ripper was successful.

At the 1988 redistribution, both Welshpool and Ascot were abolished, and Belmont was recreated, with Ripper transferring into the seat.

Geography

Belmont is bounded by the Swan River to the northwest, the Helena River to the north, the freight railway to the east, Welshpool Road to the south and Orrong Road to the southwest. Its boundaries include the suburbs of Ascot, Belmont, Cloverdale, Kewdale, Redcliffe, Rivervale, South Guildford and Welshpool, as well as Perth Airport, and parts of Burswood and Hazelmere.[4]

The 2007 redistribution, which took effect at the 2008 election, only removed a section of High Wycombe which had been added in 2005.[5]

Members for Belmont

First incarnation (1962–1974)
MemberPartyTerm
  James Hegney Labor 1962–1968
  Colin Jamieson Labor 1968–1974
Second incarnation (1989–present)
  Eric Ripper Labor 1989–2013
  Glenys Godfrey Liberal 2013–2017
  Cassie Rowe Labor 2017–present

Election results

This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2021 Western Australian state election (Legislative Assembly) § Belmont.[edit]
2021 Western Australian state election: Belmont[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Cassie Rowe 16,722 70.4 +21.3
Liberal Charlotte Butler 3,819 16.1 −14.2
Greens Clint Uink 1,651 7.0 −0.6
Christians Nitasha Naidu 566 2.4 +0.5
One Nation Chris Fenech 433 1.8 −4.7
No Mandatory Vaccination Shaun Rose 374 1.6 +1.6
WAxit Mohammed Boksmati 174 0.7 −0.6
Total formal votes 23,739 95.9 +1.1
Informal votes 1,019 4.1 −1.1
Turnout 24,758 82.5 +1.2
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Cassie Rowe 18,795 79.2 +17.8
Liberal Charlotte Butler 4,938 20.8 −17.8
Labor hold Swing+17.8

References

  1. ↑ "Electoral Districts Act 1947 - Order in Council". Western Australia Government Gazette. 22 August 1955. p. 1955:1999-2009.
  2. ↑ "Electoral Districts Act 1947-1955 - Order in Council". Western Australia Government Gazette. 14 December 1961. p. 1961:3651-3702.
  3. ↑ "Electoral Districts Act 1947-1965 - Order in Council". Western Australia Government Gazette. 21 July 1966. p. 1966:1977-2033.
    * "Electoral Districts Act 1947-1965 - Order in Council". Western Australia Government Gazette. 14 June 1972. p. 1972:1833-1893.
  4. ↑ Western Australian Electoral Commission (29 October 2007). "2007 Electoral Distribution - Final Boundaries - East Metropolitan - Belmont". Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  5. ↑ Western Australian Electoral Commission (4 August 2003). "2003 Electoral Distribution - Final Boundaries - East Metropolitan - Belmont". Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  6. ↑ 2021 State General Election – Belmont District Results, WAEC
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