Darling Range – WA 2013

LIB 7.0%

Incumbent MP
Tony Simpson, since 2008. Previously Member for Serpentine-Jarrahdale 2005-2008.

Geography
Eastern Perth. Darling Range is the outermost seat on the eastern edge of Perth, covering outer parts of Armadale, Kalamunda and Serpentine-Jarrahdale council areas.

The seat covers Pickering Brook, Karragullen, Roleystone, Bedfordale, Harrisdale, Byford, Forrestdale, Darling Downs, Oakford, Mundijong, Serpentine, Jarrahdale and parts of Kelmscott and Mount Richon.

Redistribution
The seat lost its northernmost end (covering Chidlow, Mt Helena and Sawyers Valley) to Swan Hills, increasing the Liberal margin from 5.6% to 7.0%.

History
The seat of Darling Range has existed since 1950, with the exception of a single term in the 1970s when it was briefly abolished. The seat was originally a Country Party seat but has been won by the Liberal Party at every election since 1962.

Ray Owen held the seat for the Country Party from 1950 to 1962, followed by Liberal MP Kenn Dunn until 1971.

In 1971, the Liberal Party’s Ian Thompson won the seat. In 1974, the seat was renamed Kalamunda, and Thompson moved to that seat. He stayed in that seat until it was abolished in 1989, despite Darling Range being restored in 1977.

George Spriggs won Darling Range in 1977, and was followed by Bob Greig in 1987.

In 1989, the seat of Kalamunda was abolished and Ian Thompson returned to Darling Range. He was re-elected, but in 1990 he resigned from the Liberal Party to sit as an independent, and retired in 1993.

John Day won Darling Range in 1993. He held the seat for the next fifteen years. In 2008, the redistribution moved much of Darling Range back into the restored seat of Kalamunda while a large part of the abolished seat of Serpentine-Jarrahdale was moved into Darling Range.

Day moved to Kalamunda, and Tony Simpson, who had won Serpentine-Jarrahdale in 2005, moved to Darling Range. Day became a minister in the Liberal/National government after the 2008 election, while Simpson became a parliamentary secretary, and is now Government Whip.

Candidates

• Tony Simpson (Liberal)
• Denise Hardie (Greens)
• Barry Urban (Labor)
• Madeleine Goiran (Australian Christians)

Assessment
Darling Range is a reasonably safe Liberal seat, and Simpson should have no trouble maintaining his hold on the seat in 2013.

2008 result

2008 two-candidate-preferred result

Booth breakdown
Booths have been divided into three areas: north, central and south. Most of the population is split about evenly between central and south, with a small population in the north.

The Liberal vote varied from 62.6% in the north to 43.4% in the centre. The Labor vote varied from 36% in the centre to 21% in the north. The Greens vote peaked at 15% in the centre.