North Metropolitan – WA 2017

Incumbent MLCs

• Liz Behjat (Liberal), since 2009.
• Peter Collier (Liberal), since 2005.
• Peter Katsambanis (Liberal), since 2013.
• Laine McDonald (Labor), since 2016.²
• Michael Mischin (Liberal), since 2009.
• Martin Pritchard (Labor), since 2015.¹

¹ Martin Pritchard replaced Ljiljanna Ravlich on 21 April 2015.
² Laine McDonald replaced Ken Travers on 27 September 2016.

Geography

The North Metropolitan region covers the northern third of the Perth metropolitan area, stretching from Two Rocks to Cottesloe, stretching inland to the Perth CBD and Girrawheen.

The north is strongly Liberal. The Liberal Party holds twelve seats, and Labor hold two. Most of those Liberal seats are quite safe seats.

You can click through to individual seat profiles on the table above or on the map below.

Redistribution
Only minor changes were made to seats in southern parts of the region, while seats in northern parts underwent significant changes, with the seat of Ocean Reef shifting north and being renamed Burns Beach. The seat of Wanneroo also shifted north, with areas previously in the seat moved into the East Metropolitan region.

History
North Metropolitan was created as a seven-member electorate at the 1989 election.

At that first election, the Liberal Party won four seats and the Labor Party won three seats. At the last seven elections, the Liberal Party won more seats than Labor at five elections, and the parties won equal numbers at two elections.

In 1993, the ALP lost one of its seats to a Liberal-turned-independent.

In 1996, the Liberal Party lost their fourth seat, with the last two seats going to the Greens’ Giz Watson and the Democrats’ Helen Hodgson.

The ALP won back their third seat off the Democrats, along with three Liberals and one Green. The 2005 election saw a similar result.

Prior to the 2008 election, a redistribution saw North Metropolitan become a six-member electorate. In 2008, three Liberals, two Labor and one Green was elected, with the ALP losing their third seat.

In 2013, the Liberal Party won a fourth seat off the Greens, leaving the region with no crossbench representatives for the first time since the early 1990s.

2013 result

The major parties won five seats on full quotas, while the Liberal Party came within a handful of primary votes of winning the final seat, and the seat was quickly won following the distribution of minor candidate preferences.

Candidates

• A – Raoul Smith (Independent)
• B – Labor
  1. Alannah MacTiernan
  2. Martin Pritchard
  3. Kelly Shay
  4. Hannah Beazley
  5. Laine Mcdonald
  6. Hugh Nguyen
• C – John Bombak (One Nation)
• D – Tye Short (Daylight Saving Party)
• E – Henry Heng (Family First)
• F – John Golawski (Micro Business Party)
• G – Alison Xamon (Greens)
• H – A Albert (Independent)
• I – Steven Smith (Fluoride Free WA)
• J – Liberal
  1. Peter Collier
  2. Michael Mischin
  3. Tjorn Sibma
  4. Victoria Jackson
  5. Sandra Brewer
  6. Tim Walton
• K – Joshua Van Ross (Flux)
• L – Natasha Chakich (Animal Justice)
• M – Brian Murray (Liberal Democrats)
• N – Julie Matheson (Julie Matheson for WA)
• O – Dwight Randall (Australian Christians)
• P – Paul Bedford (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)
• Ungrouped
  • Michael Tucak (Independent)
  • Derek Ammon (Independent)
  • Joe Ruzzi (Independent)

Preferences
Preferences have not yet been released.

Assessment
The Liberal Party narrowly won a fourth seat in 2013, and the likely swing against the government should make it impossible for the party to hold all four of its seats. This remaining seat is likely to go back to the Greens, although it is possible it could fall to Labor if they do particularly well.

Regional breakdown
The Liberal vote was higher at the southern end of the region, with 67% in Cottesloe and 64% in Churchlands, but it dropped to 45% in Girrawheen and 48% in Butler.

The Labor vote peaked at 43% in Girrawheen and 40% in Butler, compared to less than 20% in Cottesloe and Nedlands.

The Greens vote peaked at over 13% in Perth and Nedlands, compared to less than 6% in Wanneroo and Girrawheen.

Results of the 2013 WA upper house election in the North Metropolitan region, by 2017 electorate