The Metropolitan-Suburban Province was a three-member electoral province of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the metropolitan region of Perth. It was created by the Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1899, and became effective on 29 August 1900 following a special election to fill all three seats. Historically taking in many coastal and riverside areas in the western suburbs of Perth, it was considered safe for the Nationalist Party for most of its existence.
At the 1950 elections, it was renamed Suburban Province, losing Claremont and Subiaco and moving inland. In 1963–1964, electoral changes to the Legislative Council, which abolished the 10 three-member seats and created 15 two-member seats in their place, resulted in the seat's abolishment, with its area being divided between North-East Metropolitan Province and South-East Metropolitan Province.
Geography The province was made up of several complete Legislative Assembly districts, which changed at each distribution. It had a more restrictive franchise than the Legislative Assembly, however, so not all voters in the corresponding Assembly districts were eligible to vote in the Council.
RedistributionPeriodElectoral districtsElectors% of State 1899 29 August 1900 – 22 May 1904Claremont, Guildford, South Perth, Subiaco 1904 22 May 1904 – 22 May 1912Balcatta, Canning, Claremont, Guildford, Subiaco 6,858 18.10% 1911 22 May 1912 – 22 May 1930Canning, Claremont, Guildford, Leederville, Subiaco 12,093 25.65% 1929 22 May 1930 – 22 May 1950Canning, Claremont, Guildford-Midland, Leederville, Maylands, Middle Swan, Mount Hawthorn, Nedlands, South Perth, Subiaco Victoria Park, 1948 22 May 1950 – 22 May 1956Canning, Guildford-Midland, Maylands, Middle Swan, Mount Hawthorn, Mount Lawley, South Perth, Victoria Park, 1955 22 May 1956 – 22 May 1962Beeloo, Guildford-Midland, Maylands, Middle Swan, Mount Lawley, South Perth, Victoria Park, 1961 22 May 1962 – 22 May 1965Bayswater, Beeloo, Belmont, Maylands, Mount Lawley, South Perth, Swan, Victoria Park,
Representation
Members
Member 1 Party Term Member 2 Party Term Member 3 Party Term William Brookman 1900–1903 Adam Jameson 1900–1903 James Speed 1900–1902 Barrington Wood 1902–1903 Joseph Langsford 1904–1911 Walter Kingsmill 1903–1910 Zebina Lane 1903–1908 Sydney Stubbs Ministerial 1908–1911 James Doland Labor 1911–1912 Douglas Gawler Liberal 1910–1915 Frederick Davis Labor 1911–1914 Archibald Sanderson Liberal 1912–1917 Athelstan Saw Liberal 1914–1917 Joseph Duffell Liberal 1914–1917 Nationalist 1917–1922 Nationalist 1917–1929 Nationalist 1917–1926 Harry Boan Nationalist 1922–1924 Henry Stephenson Nationalist 1924–1930 Sir William Lathlain Nationalist 1926–1932 James Macfarlane Nationalist 1930–1942 Sir Charles Nathan Nationalist 1930–1934 Alec Clydesdale Labor 1932–1938 Hubert Parker Nationalist 1934–1945 Frank Gibson Nationalist 1942–1945 James Dimmitt Nationalist 1938–1945 Liberal 1945–1956 Liberal 1945–1954 Liberal 1945–1953 George Jeffery Labor 1956–1962 Ruby Hutchison Labor 1954–1965 Arthur Griffith Liberal 1953–1965 Herbert R. Robinson Liberal 1962–1965
References David Black (2014), The Western Australian Parliamentary Handbook (Twenty-Third Edition)