Electoral district of Balga
Encyclopedia
Balga was an electoral district
of the Legislative Assembly
in the Australia
n state of Western Australia
from 1974 to 1977 and again from 1983 to 1989.
The district was based in Perth's northern suburbs and was a safe Labor
seat.
, the seat of Balcatta
, held narrowly by Labor's Brian Burke
after a 1973 by-election, was renamed Balga, and Burke won it with an increased majority. The name Balga would last only one term; the seat was renamed back to Balcatta ahead of the 1977 state election
.
A new seat of Balga which was significantly safer for Labor was created for the 1983 state election
east of the original seat. It included Alexander Heights
, Balga
, Girrawheen
, Koondoola
, Ballajura
(at that stage only the section north of Marangaroo Drive had been built) and the eastern section of Hamersley
. The seat's member was again Burke, who at that election also became Western Australian Premier
. Burke resigned on 25 February 1988, both as Premier and a member of parliament, on the fifth anniversary of his swearing in as Premier. He was succeeded at a by-election by fellow Labor candidate Ted Cunningham.
Balga was abolished ahead of the 1989 state election
, and was replaced by the new seat of Marangaroo
, which Cunningham went on to represent.
Electoral districts of Western Australia
The Western Australian Legislative Assembly is elected from 59 single-member electoral districts. These districts are often referred to as electorates or seats....
of the Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
from 1974 to 1977 and again from 1983 to 1989.
The district was based in Perth's northern suburbs and was a safe Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
seat.
History
At the 1972 redistribution prior to the 1974 state electionWestern Australian state election, 1974
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 30 March 1974 to elect all 51 members to the Legislative Assembly and 15 members to the 30-seat Legislative Council...
, the seat of Balcatta
Electoral district of Balcatta
The Electoral district of Balcatta is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.The district is based in Perth's northern suburbs. Politically, it has been considered a safe Labor seat throughout its history, although is presently marginal...
, held narrowly by Labor's Brian Burke
Brian Burke
Brian Thomas Burke was Labor premier of Western Australia from 25 February 1983 until his resignation on 25 February 1988...
after a 1973 by-election, was renamed Balga, and Burke won it with an increased majority. The name Balga would last only one term; the seat was renamed back to Balcatta ahead of the 1977 state election
Western Australian state election, 1977
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 19 February 1977 to elect all 55 members to the Legislative Assembly and 17 members to the 32-seat Legislative Council...
.
A new seat of Balga which was significantly safer for Labor was created for the 1983 state election
Western Australian state election, 1983
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 19 February 1983 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and 18 members to the 34-seat Legislative Council....
east of the original seat. It included Alexander Heights
Alexander Heights, Western Australia
Alexander Heights is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Wanneroo.Originally named "Alinjarra", an Aboriginal word for 'north' in 1977, this suburb was renamed Alexander Heights in 1987. The name is derived from Alexander Drive, the main arterial road into the area...
, Balga
Balga, Western Australia
Balga is a suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, and is located north of Perth's central business district . Its Local Government Area is the City of Stirling....
, Girrawheen
Girrawheen, Western Australia
Girrawheen is a northern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Wanneroo.-History:...
, Koondoola
Koondoola, Western Australia
Koondoola is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Wanneroo. Its postcode is 6064.Koondoola is a relatively new suburb, with most of its infrastructure being built in the 1970s. For example, two of the area's focal points, Koondoola Primary School and Koondoola Plaza,...
, Ballajura
Ballajura, Western Australia
Ballajura is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, in the City of Swan local government area. Ballajura is located 14 km north of the Perth CBD...
(at that stage only the section north of Marangaroo Drive had been built) and the eastern section of Hamersley
Hamersley, Western Australia
Hamersley is a residential suburb 14 kilometres north-northwest of the central business district of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, and six kilometres from the Indian Ocean. The suburb adjoins two major arterial roads—Mitchell Freeway to the west and Reid Highway to the...
. The seat's member was again Burke, who at that election also became Western Australian Premier
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
. Burke resigned on 25 February 1988, both as Premier and a member of parliament, on the fifth anniversary of his swearing in as Premier. He was succeeded at a by-election by fellow Labor candidate Ted Cunningham.
Balga was abolished ahead of the 1989 state election
Western Australian state election, 1989
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 4 February 1989 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
, and was replaced by the new seat of Marangaroo
Electoral district of Marangaroo
Marangaroo was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1989 to 1996.The district was based in Perth's northern suburbs. It was a safe Labor seat.-History:...
, which Cunningham went on to represent.
Members for Balga
| Balga (1974–1977) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | Term | |
| Brian Burke Brian Burke Brian Thomas Burke was Labor premier of Western Australia from 25 February 1983 until his resignation on 25 February 1988... |
Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
1974–1977 | |
| Balga (1983–1989) | |||
| Member | Party | Term | |
| Brian Burke | Labor | 1983–1988 | |
| Ted Cunningham | Labor | 1988–1989 | |