Murray-Wellington is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.
Originally known as Murray, it was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 election. The district is a regional electorate situated between Mandurah and Bunbury. The seat has alternated between the names Murray and Murray-Wellington to reflect its geography.
The seat has been a traditional stronghold for the Liberal Party, though the opposing Labor Party has won the seat three times in the last four decades.
Geography In its present configuration, Murray-Wellington is a coastal electorate running from the eastern outskirts of Mandurah to the northern outskirts of Bunbury. It covers three local government areas – Shire of Murray, Shire of Waroona and the Shire of Harvey – including all of the latter two and the vast geographic majority of the former. Its major population centres include the towns of Dwellingup, Harvey, North Dandalup, North Yunderup, Pinjarra, South Yunderup and Waroona as well as the northern Bunbury suburbs of Australind and Leschenault.
History The seat of Murray-Wellington (or Murray) has traditionally been a stronghold of the Liberal Party and its predecessor parties, but became a marginal seat held by Labor following the 2017 state election. The district's most famous member was Ross McLarty, Premier of Western Australia between 1947 and 1953, who held the seat from 1930 to 1962.
The seat's previous Labor member, Robyn Clarke, arrived as a result of the 2017 state election. The seat's only other Labor member, Keith Read, won the vacant seat at the 1989 state election, even as his father and then Labor MP John Read was defeated in the neighbouring seat of Mandurah. Keith Read was defeated at the 1993 state election.
Members for Murray-Wellington Murray (1890–1911)MemberPartyTerm William Paterson Non-aligned 1890–1895 William George Opposition 1895–1902 William Atkins Independent 1902–1904 John McLarty Ministerial 1904–1909 William George Ministerial 1909–1911Murray-Wellington (1911–1950) William George Liberal 1911–1917 Nationalist 1917–1930 Ross McLarty Nationalist 1930–1945 Liberal 1945–1949 Liberal Country League 1949–1950Murray (1950–1983) Ross McLarty Liberal Country League 1950–1962 Ewart Runciman Liberal Country League 1962–1968 Liberal 1968–1974 Richard Shalders Liberal 1974–1983Murray-Wellington (1983–1989) John Bradshaw Liberal 1983–1989Murray (1989–1996) Keith Read Labor 1989–1993 Arthur Marshall Liberal 1993–1996Murray-Wellington (1996–2005) John Bradshaw Liberal 1996–2005Murray (2005–2008) Murray Cowper Liberal 2005–2008Murray-Wellington (2008–present) Murray Cowper Liberal 2008–2017 Robyn Clarke Labor 2017–2025 David Bolt Liberal 2025–present
Election results
References
External links ABC election profiles: 2005 2008 WAEC district maps: current boundaries, previous distributions