The Legislative Assembly today has 59 members, elected for four-year terms from single-member electoral districts. Members are elected using the preferential voting system. As with all other Australian states and territories, voting is compulsory for all Australian citizens over the legal voting age of 18.
Most legislation in Western Australia is initiated in the Legislative Assembly. The party or coalition that can command a majority in the Legislative Assembly is invited by the Governor to form a government. That party or coalition's leader, once sworn in, subsequently becomes the Premier of Western Australia, and a team of the leader's, party's or coalition's choosing (whether they be in the Legislative Assembly or in the Legislative Council) can then be sworn in as ministers responsible for various portfolios. As Australian political parties traditionally vote along party lines, most legislation introduced by the governing party will pass through the House of Assembly.
History
Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1896
The Legislative Assembly was the first elected legislature in Western Australia, having been created in 1890, when Western Australia gained self-government. It initially consisted of 30 members, all of whom were elected, although only male landowners could vote. This replaced a system where the Governor was responsible for most legislative matters, with only the appointed Legislative Council to guide him.
Legislative Assembly – 4 November 2012
Suffrage was extended to all adult males in 1893, although Indigenous Australians were specifically excluded. Women gained the right to vote in 1899, making Western Australia the second of the Australian colonies (behind South Australia) to do so. In 1921, Edith Cowan became the first woman to be elected to parliament anywhere in Australia when she won the Legislative Assembly seat of West Perth for the Nationalist Party.[1]
Electoral distribution and reform
For many years, Western Australia used a zonal electoral system for both houses of parliament. In most Australian jurisdictions, each state electorate represents an approximately equal number of voters. However, in Western Australia, until 2008 an MP represented 28,519 voters in greater Perth (the Metropolitan Region Scheme area) or 14,551 country voters.[2] At the 2006 census taken on 8 August 2006, 73.76% of Western Australia's residents lived in and around Perth,[3] but only 34 of Western Australia's 57 Legislative Assembly seats, representing 60% of the total, were located in the metropolitan region. There has been strong support over time in some quarters for the principle of one vote, one value, particularly from the Labor Party who were at particular disadvantage under the system. Up until 2005, reform had proceeded gradually—the most dramatic changes had occurred with the enactment of the Electoral Districts Act 1947 and the Acts Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 1987, the latter of which raised the number of metropolitan seats from 29 to 34.[4]
Effective on 20 May 2005, the Electoral Amendment and Repeal Act 2005 (No.1 of 2005) abolished the country-metropolitan distinction for the Legislative Assembly, but all seats then in place remained until the following election on 6 September 2008. A redistribution of seats announced by the Western Australian Electoral Commission on 29 October 2007 places 42 seats in Perth and 17 in the country, with a variation of ±10% from the average population normally permitted. The only distinction for rural seats is that any seat with an area of 100,000 square kilometres (38,610 sq mi) or greater (that is, 4% of the State's land area) may have a variation of +10%–20% from the average, using an adjusted population based on the seat's area in square kilometres.[5]
^After the 2021 election, the Nationals and Liberals formed an opposition alliance. However, it is not a formal coalition and both parties maintain their independence from each other.
References
^"MP Biographical Register". www.parliament.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
^Western Australian Electoral Commission (30 September 2007). (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
^Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Perth (Statistical Division)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 January 2008. * Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Western Australia". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
^"Acts Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 1987". Western Australian Legislation. 12 July 1987. Retrieved 26 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Electoral Amendment and Repeal Act 2005 (No. 1 of 2005), retrieved 26 February 2021
^"WA Election 2017". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 March 2017.
May 17, 2023
western, australian, legislative, assembly, lower, house, chambers, parliament, western, australia, australian, state, parliament, sits, parliament, house, western, australian, capital, perth, legislative, assembly41st, parliamenttypetypelower, house, parliame. The Western Australian Legislative Assembly or lower house is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Western Australia an Australian state The Parliament sits in Parliament House in the Western Australian capital Perth Legislative Assembly41st ParliamentTypeTypeLower house of the Parliament of Western AustraliaHistoryFounded30 December 1890 132 years ago 30 December 1890 LeadershipSpeakerMichelle Roberts Labor since 29 April 2021Deputy SpeakerStephen Price Labor since 11 May 2017Leader of the HouseDavid Templeman Labor since 17 March 2017Manager of Opposition BusinessPeter Rundle Nationals since 30 January 2023Government WhipCassie Rowe Labor since 17 March 2021Opposition WhipMerome Beard Nationals since 30 January 2023StructureSeats59Political groupsGovernment 53 Labor 53 Opposition 6 National 4 Liberal 2 a Length of term4 yearsElectionsVoting systemFull preferential votingFirst electionDecember 1890Last election13 March 2021Next election8 March 2025Meeting placeLegislative Assembly ChamberParliament House PerthWestern Australia AustraliaWebsiteWA Legislative AssemblyThe Legislative Assembly today has 59 members elected for four year terms from single member electoral districts Members are elected using the preferential voting system As with all other Australian states and territories voting is compulsory for all Australian citizens over the legal voting age of 18 Contents 1 Role and operation 2 History 3 Electoral distribution and reform 4 Current distribution of Assembly seats 5 See also 6 Notes 7 ReferencesRole and operation EditMost legislation in Western Australia is initiated in the Legislative Assembly The party or coalition that can command a majority in the Legislative Assembly is invited by the Governor to form a government That party or coalition s leader once sworn in subsequently becomes the Premier of Western Australia and a team of the leader s party s or coalition s choosing whether they be in the Legislative Assembly or in the Legislative Council can then be sworn in as ministers responsible for various portfolios As Australian political parties traditionally vote along party lines most legislation introduced by the governing party will pass through the House of Assembly History Edit Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly 1896 The Legislative Assembly was the first elected legislature in Western Australia having been created in 1890 when Western Australia gained self government It initially consisted of 30 members all of whom were elected although only male landowners could vote This replaced a system where the Governor was responsible for most legislative matters with only the appointed Legislative Council to guide him Legislative Assembly 4 November 2012 Suffrage was extended to all adult males in 1893 although Indigenous Australians were specifically excluded Women gained the right to vote in 1899 making Western Australia the second of the Australian colonies behind South Australia to do so In 1921 Edith Cowan became the first woman to be elected to parliament anywhere in Australia when she won the Legislative Assembly seat of West Perth for the Nationalist Party 1 Electoral distribution and reform EditFor many years Western Australia used a zonal electoral system for both houses of parliament In most Australian jurisdictions each state electorate represents an approximately equal number of voters However in Western Australia until 2008 an MP represented 28 519 voters in greater Perth the Metropolitan Region Scheme area or 14 551 country voters 2 At the 2006 census taken on 8 August 2006 73 76 of Western Australia s residents lived in and around Perth 3 but only 34 of Western Australia s 57 Legislative Assembly seats representing 60 of the total were located in the metropolitan region There has been strong support over time in some quarters for the principle of one vote one value particularly from the Labor Party who were at particular disadvantage under the system Up until 2005 reform had proceeded gradually the most dramatic changes had occurred with the enactment of the Electoral Districts Act 1947 and the Acts Amendment Electoral Reform Act 1987 the latter of which raised the number of metropolitan seats from 29 to 34 4 Effective on 20 May 2005 the Electoral Amendment and Repeal Act 2005 No 1 of 2005 abolished the country metropolitan distinction for the Legislative Assembly but all seats then in place remained until the following election on 6 September 2008 A redistribution of seats announced by the Western Australian Electoral Commission on 29 October 2007 places 42 seats in Perth and 17 in the country with a variation of 10 from the average population normally permitted The only distinction for rural seats is that any seat with an area of 100 000 square kilometres 38 610 sq mi or greater that is 4 of the State s land area may have a variation of 10 20 from the average using an adjusted population based on the seat s area in square kilometres 5 Current distribution of Assembly seats EditFor upper house results see Western Australian Legislative Council Party Seats held 6 Labor 53 53 National 4 4 Liberal 2 2 Total 5930 votes as a majority are required to pass legislation See also Edit2021 Western Australian state election Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly 2021 2025 Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly Electoral districts of Western Australia Western Australian Legislative Council Parliaments of the Australian states and territoriesNotes Edit After the 2021 election the Nationals and Liberals formed an opposition alliance However it is not a formal coalition and both parties maintain their independence from each other References Edit MP Biographical Register www parliament wa gov au Retrieved 8 November 2021 Western Australian Electoral Commission 30 September 2007 September enrolment statistics PDF Archived from the original PDF on 22 July 2008 Retrieved 15 January 2008 Australian Bureau of Statistics 25 October 2007 Perth Statistical Division 2006 Census QuickStats Retrieved 15 January 2008 Australian Bureau of Statistics 25 October 2007 Western Australia 2006 Census QuickStats Retrieved 15 January 2008 Acts Amendment Electoral Reform Act 1987 Western Australian Legislation 12 July 1987 Retrieved 26 February 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Electoral Amendment and Repeal Act 2005 No 1 of 2005 retrieved 26 February 2021 WA Election 2017 Australian Broadcasting Corporation 17 March 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Western Australian Legislative Assembly amp oldid 1136584501, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
