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Balcatta Electorate Profile (2021)

About the Balcatta Electorate

Map showing the boundaries of the Balcatta electorate for the 2021 election

PDF version of Balcatta electorate map

PDF version of North Metropolitan Region electorate map PDF


Area (sq km): 20
Number of Electors: 29,541
Source: Western Australian Electoral Commission.

Legislative Council Region:
North Metropolitan

Origin of the Name:
The area now known as Balcatta was once contained in the northern half of Perth Shire location granted to T.R.C. Walters on the 10th March 1840. The name Balcatta was recorded by Alexander Forrest in 1877 as being the Aboriginal name for the northern position of Careniup Swamp and the name was used on an offer of sale by Mr Mews in 1888. A later owner, James Arbuckle, named his house Balcatta after the area it overlooked.
Source: Western Australia. Department of Land Administration. Names and Places.

Suburbs and Towns within the Electorate:
Balcatta; Joondanna; Osborne Park *; Stirling; Tuart Hill; Westminster
* = Suburb/Town split between more than one electorate.
Source: Western Australian Electoral Commission.

Local Governments within the Electorate:
City of Stirling

Schools
Government: Balcatta Primary School; Balcatta Senior High School; Osborne Primary School; Takari Primary School; Tuart Hill Primary School; West Balcatta Primary School; Westminster Education Support Centre; Westminster Primary School.

Other: Servite College; St Denis School; St Gerard's Primary School; St Kieran Catholic Primary School; St Lawrence Primary School.


Local Newspapers:
  • Stirling Times

Books about Balcatta:
  • Leonard Easton: Stirling City (215p. UWA Press, 1971)
  • W S Cooper: Diversity's challenge - a history of the City of Stirling (466p. City of Stirling, 1999)

Statistical Profile of the Balcatta Electorate

Current Member

David Michael
(ALP)

David Michael grew up in Tuart Hill and is dedicated to serving the community. He has lived locally his entire life and went to Tuart Hill Primary School and Servite College. He is a life member of the Tuart Hill Cricket Club, a board member of Tuart Hill Primary School, and a patron of the Osborne Park Bowling Club.

David studied Economics at UWA and while at University he joined both the Australian Labor Party and the Australian Republican Movement.

At 25 years old, David was voted in as the youngest Councillor the City of Stirling has ever had. He held that role for 12 years before being elected to State Parliament as the Member for Balcatta in March 2017, where he is currently the Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Ports; Road Safety; Minister assisting the Minister for Transport.

On council, David improved community facilities, upgraded parks and roads, delivered new footpaths and introduced a modern recycling system, all while keeping the City of Stirling debt free.

Contact details and Speeches

Biography

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Successive Members for the Balcatta Electorate

Constituency created under the Redistribution of Seats 1903.

Name Party Term
Frederick Gill Labor 1904 - 1905
John Veryard Liberal 1905 - 1908
Frederick Gill Labor 1908 - 1911
Constituency abolished under the Redistribution of Seats 1911.
Constituency revived under the Redistribution of Seats 1961.
Herbert Ernst Graham Labor 1962 - 1973
Brian Thomas Burke Labor 1973 - 1974
Constituency abolished under the Redistribution of Seats 1972.
Constituency revived under the Redistribution of Seats 1975.
Brian Thomas Burke Labor 1977 - 1983
Ronald Edward Bertram Labor 1983 - 1989
Nicholas (Nick) Mark Catania Labor 1989 - 1996
Constituency abolished under the Redistribution of Seats 1994.
Constituency revived under the Redistribution of Seats 2003.
John Charles Kobelke Australian Labor Party 2005 - 2013
Chris Hatton Liberal Party 2013 - 2017
David Michael Australian Labor Party 2017 - current

Source:
Black, David & Valerie Prescott. Election Statistics: Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996. Perth, WA: Parliament of Western Australia Electoral Commission, 1997.
Parliament of Western Australia, Members (website) http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au