Electoral district of Belmont

This article is about the Western Australian state electorate. For the former Queensland state electorate, see Electoral district of Belmont (Queensland).

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.

Belmont Western Australia—Legislative Assembly
Location of Belmont (dark green) in the Perth metropolitan area
State	Western Australia
Dates current	1962–1974; 1989–present
MP	Cassie Rowe
Party	Labor
Namesake	Belmont
Electors	30,025 (2021)
Area	70 km2 (27.0 sq mi)
Demographic	Metropolitan
Coordinates	31.95°S 115.96°E / -31.95; 115.96

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)
Member		Party	Term
	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

See also: Electoral results for the district of Belmont

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

This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2021 Western Australian state election (Legislative Assembly) § Belmont.[edit]

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

External links

• Electorate profile (Antony Green, ABC)