Electoral district of Balcatta

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Balcatta is an electoral district of Western Australia. As in other districts, the Balcatta district elects a single person to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The elected person is then known as the Member for Balcatta, and is said to hold the seat of Balcatta. As of 1989, the Member for Balcatta is John Kobelke who holds the seat for the Labor Party by a margin of 9.9%. The seat in 2009 is expected to be retained by the Labor Party.

[edit] Profile

Inner northern suburbs of Perth lying mainly between the Mitchell Freeway and Wanneroo Road. It includes the suburbs of Hamersley, Balcatta, Stirling, Tuart Hill, Joondanna and parts of Balga, Nollamara, Osborne Park and Westminster. Covers 24 km².

[edit] History

This is the fourth time Balcatta has been created as an electoral district. It previously existed 1904-11, 1962-74 and 1977-96. One of its former members was Premier Brian Burke, who represented the seat 1973-74 and again 1977-83. In between the seat was known as Balga, which Burke represented 1974-77 and 1983-88. The last MP for Balcatta was Labor's Nick Catania, who held it from 1989 until its abolition in 1996.