64-829: The South-East Province was an electoral region of the Western Australian Legislative Council , introduced after the introduction of responsible government in the 1890s. It initially comprised Williams , Plantagenet , and Albany Electoral Districts. This article about a location in Western Australia is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Western Australian Legislative Council Labor (21) Opposition (9) Liberal (7) National (2) Crossbench (6) Greens ( 1 ) One Nation ( 1 ) Legalise Cannabis ( 1 ) The Western Australian Legislative Council
128-538: A Military party, receiving 3 balls in his head, one in his body.' According to the Perth Gazette, the execution was witnessed by a 'great number of persons ... although the Execution was sudden and the hour unknown.' "The feeling which was generally expressed was that of satisfaction at what had taken place, and in some instances loud and vehement exaltation, which the solemnity of the scene, – a fellow human being – although
192-854: A Sherriff, the warrant was directed to the Magistrates of the District of Perth, the duty therefore devolved upon J. Morgan Esq., as Government Resident, who immediately proceeded to carry the sentence into execution. The death warrant was read aloud to the persons assembled who immediately afterwards went inside the Jail, with the Constables and the necessary attendants, to prepare the Prisoner for his fate. Midgegooroo, on seeing that preparations were making [sic.] to punish him, yelled and struggled most violently to escape. These efforts availed him little, in less than five minutes he
256-452: A barbarous life when grown up.' The Noongar population appears to have remained unaware of Midgegooroo's fate, possibly to ensure that the news would not reach the feared Yagan. Four days after the execution, G. F. Moore recorded an encounter with Yagan near his homestead when he arrived with Munday, Migo and seven others, possibly with the aim of finding out from Moore what had happened to his father. Moore, caught by surprise, decided to conceal
320-482: A further reorganisation occurred in 1950 (following the passage of the Electoral Districts Act 1947 establishing an independent electoral commission). The Constitution Acts Amendment Act (No.2) 1963 , effective from the 1965 state election , abolished the ten existing three-member provinces, replacing them with 15 two-member provinces. One new province was added at the 1977 state election . Some of
384-558: A masterly manner, and redounds highly to the credit of Captain Ellis. ... Midgegooroo in his dungeon presents a most pitiable object. In the same issue, the Perth Gazette went on to invite citizens to 'forward the ends of justice' by coming forward with their evidence of Midgegooroo's wrongdoings, indicative of the close relationship between the early colonial media, the Government and the nascent system of justice. The Perth Gazette constitutes one of
448-409: A native – launched into eternity – ought to have suppressed." The aftermath it appears from the extant record that, while there was a crowd in attendance at the execution, few if any Aboriginal people were present. The boy who was captured along with Midgegooroo, who was identified as his son 'Billy' (later referred to also as 'young Midgegooroo') was estimated to be between five and eight years old. He
512-795: A place on the Council. The initial appointees were the Governor , James Stirling , the Senior Military Officer next in command to the Governor, Frederick Irwin , the Colonial Secretary , Peter Broun , the Surveyor-General , John Septimus Roe , and the Advocate-General , William Mackie . The Legislative Council first met on 7 February 1832. Three years later, an attempt was made to expand
576-498: A retreat impossible, became desperate; Jeffers, a private of the 63rd ... rushed forward and seized him by the hair, Captain Ellis seized his spears and broke them in his hand, he still retained the barbed ends, with which he struck at Jeffers repeatedly; the alarm he created by crying out for Yagan, and the apprehensions of his escaping, required the exercise of the greatest firmness on the part of Captain Ellis to accomplish his being brought in alive. The capture of this man as effected in
640-741: Is the upper house of the Parliament of Western Australia , a state of Australia . It is regarded as a house of review for legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly , the lower house. The two Houses of Parliament sit in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth . Effective on 20 May 2005, for the election of members of the Legislative Council, the state was divided into six electoral regions by community of interest – three metropolitan and three rural – each electing six members to
704-546: The 2008 state election . After the 2021 state election , in which the Labor Party won a majority in both houses of parliament, the state government formed a commission to explore reform to the Legislative Council electoral system. The committee recommended the abolition of the six electoral regions in favour of a single state-wide electorate and the abolition of group voting tickets , among other changes. The Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Equality) Bill 2021
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#1733125789935768-460: The 2013 state election , both houses of Parliament have had fixed four-year terms, with elections being held every four years on the second Saturday in March, though the term of the Legislative Council not expiring until May after the election. In the current Legislative Council, elected at the 2021 election , Labor has majority control of the chamber—the first time any party gained the majority in
832-659: The Burke Labor government, with the conditional support of the National Party, introduced the present system of multi-member electorates and a method of proportional representation which is, however, 'weighted' to give extra representation to rural constituents. The legislation was made possible because the Australian Democrats in 1986 negotiated an election preference flow to Labor in return for an explicit undertaking on Legislative Council electoral reform, which resulted in
896-556: The following election on 6 September 2008. Even with the reforms, rural areas are still significantly overrepresented. According to ABC election analyst Antony Green , the rural weighting is still significant enough that it is all but impossible for a Liberal premier in Western Australia to govern without National support, even if the Liberals win enough Legislative Assembly seats to theoretically allow them to govern alone. In 2021,
960-580: The Aboriginal people there, and pursued a group south, shooting and killing one man who was believed to be the brother of Midgegooroo and according to Moore, bringing his ears home 'as a token.' According to the Perth Gazette, throughout the period immediately after the proclamation, Midgegooroo remained near the property of the Drummonds on the Helena River 'employed as he usually had been of late in taking care of
1024-553: The Canning River, and expressed his despair at the prospects for a people in whom he felt 'a very great interest': 'These things are very dispiriting. I fear it must come to an act of extermination between us at last if we cannot graze our flocks in safety.' It was not until 11 July that the colonists succeeded in killing Yagan, his death at the hands of sixteen-year-old James Keats on the Upper Swan, who duly collected his reward and left
1088-495: The Civil Court. On Monday 20 May, Moore records a meeting with Irwin and hints that his personal view was that Midgegooroo should be transported but there was a strong public sentiment that he should be executed; 'there is a great puzzle to know what to do with him. The populace cry loudly for his blood, but it is a hard thing to shoot him in cold blood. There is a strong intention of sending him into perpetual banishment in some out of
1152-526: The Legislative Council has traditionally been controlled by a coalition of the Liberal and National parties, and minor parties and independents have been more easily elected. The current composition of the Legislative Council is as follows: Western Australia's first representative parliament was the Legislative Council, first created in 1832 as an appointive body. Initially it consisted only of official members; that is, public officials whose office guaranteed them
1216-408: The Legislative Council. The 2005 changes continued to maintain the previous malapportionment in favour of rural regions. Legislation was passed in 2021 to abolish these regions and increase the size of the council to 37 seats, all of which will be elected by the state-at-large. The changes will take effect in the 2025 state election . Since 2008, the Legislative Council has had 36 members. Since
1280-518: The Legislative council was changed to consist of 12 elected members and 6 members nominated by the governor. Suffrage was limited to landowners and those with a prescribed level of income. When Western Australia gained responsible government in 1890, a bicameral system was adopted and the Legislative Council became a house of review for legislation passed by the popularly elected Legislative Assembly. This council consisted of 15 members, all nominated by
1344-405: The age of the prisoner in question apparently exceeding fifty years, forbad any sanguine hopes from such an experiment in his case." There was no trial, even in the sense of an informal hearing. Midgegooroo was clearly not allowed the opportunity to give evidence or defend himself and indeed it is probable that he did not understand what was being alleged. By 22 May, Irwin had made up his mind: "With
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#17331257899351408-681: The army in 1854 and returned to England in 1856, where he died in Cheltenham in 1860. In 1839 the explorer George Grey named the Irwin River after him while on his second disastrous exploration expedition along the Western Australian coast. In 1948 the Irwin Army Barracks in Karrakatta were named after him, in recognition of his place in Western Australia's military history. In 1991
1472-407: The capture 'dead or alive' of Yagan, and 20 pounds of 'Midgigooroo' and Munday. The proclamation declared Yagan, Midgegooroo and Munday to be outlaws 'deprived of the protection of British laws, and I do hereby authorise and command all and every His Majesty's subjects residents in any part of this colony to capture, or aid or assist in capturing the body of the said 'Egan' DEAD OR ALIVE, and to produce
1536-532: The colony, resulting in the arrival of the colony's first missionary, Louis Giustiniani , in 1836. He married his wife Elizabeth Courthope, sister of auditor-general of Western Australia in December 1836. In 1837, having been promoted to Major, he returned to Western Australia, and was made permanent Commandant of the Western Australian Forces . He was further promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1845. On
1600-406: The colony. The Perth Gazette recorded its satisfaction at the deaths and believed that most of the citizenry supported the ruthless actions of the Government. Midgegooroo's execution, it claimed, met with 'general satisfaction ... his name has long rung in our ears, associated with every enormity committed by the natives; we therefore join cordially in commending this prompt and decisive measure.' On
1664-416: The condition that the colonies take responsibility for the costs of their own government. Because of this provision, Western Australia was slow to adopt the system. In 1867, the governor responded to public demand for representative government by holding unofficial elections and subsequently nominating each elected person to the council. Three years later, representative government was officially adopted and
1728-479: The conduct of those tribes become.' In September 1833, after more than four years in Western Australia, Irwin returned to England , partly to give an account to the Colonial Office of the events that had occurred in the colony while it was under his charge. While there, he published The State and Position of Western Australia , the first published account of the colony. He also sought religious assistance for
1792-668: The council by including four unofficial members to be nominated by the governor. However, the public demand for elected rather than nominated members was so great that implementation of the change was delayed until 1838. In 1850, the British Parliament passed an act, the Australian Constitutions Act 1850 ( 13 & 14 Vict. c. 59), that permitted the Australian colonies to establish legislative councils that were one-third nominated and two-thirds elected, but only under
1856-498: The council was held following the dissolution of parliament in June 1894. This system was retained until 1962 when, over the next two years, the council was reformed, creating a series of two-member electorates. Members were elected for six years with provision for re-election of one every three years. Universal suffrage was also granted in order to bring the council into line with the assembly. This arrangement remained until 10 June 1987 when
1920-501: The death of Governor Andrew Clarke in February 1847, Irwin took office as acting Governor until the arrival of the new governor, Charles Fitzgerald , in August 1848. His administration was extremely unpopular with the settlers of Western Australia, due to both the poor financial state of the colony and his stern character, and the arrival of Fitzgerald was widely celebrated. Irwin retired from
1984-483: The death warrant had been handed over to the Civil Authorities, did not occupy half an hour." Irwin reported simply: 'He was accordingly shot, in front of the jail at Perth on the 22 Ultimo.' Moore also recorded the execution although it is not clear whether he was a witness: 'The native Midgegoroo, after being fully identified as being a principal in 3 murders at least, was fastened to the gaol door & fired on by
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2048-515: The defeat of a number of Liberal councillors who were committed to opposing such reform. Until 2005 the state used a zonally weighted electoral system for both houses of parliament. In effect, this meant that the vote of a Perth voter counted for less than that of a rural voter. The difference was less marked in the Assembly than in the Legislative Council, whose metropolitan regions are numerically weighted so that up to two rural members are elected by
2112-494: The dividing line on the ballot paper, or at least 20 candidates below the dividing line. Senate House of Rep. Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Assembly Assembly Frederick Irwin Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Chidley Irwin , KH (22 March 1794 – 31 March 1860)
2176-493: The face of National Party opposition. Effective on 20 May 2005, for the election of members of the Legislative Council, the state was divided into six electoral regions by community of interest, three metropolitan and three rural, each electing six members to the Legislative Council. The regions were defined geographically and functionally, and also included partial requirements for equal numbers of Legislative Assembly districts. However, all previously elected members remained until
2240-466: The government passed a substantial reform of the council electoral system. Starting with the 2025 general election, all seats will be elected in a statewide electorate. While Perth accounts for 70% of the state's population, only 30% of the state's population is located in towns and small settlements across an area of over 2.6 million square kilometres outside the Perth metropolitan area. However, until 2005,
2304-514: The governor. However, it was provided that once the population of the colony reached 60,000, the Legislative Council would become elective. The colony was expected to take many years to reach a population of 60,000 but the discovery of the eastern goldfields and the consequent gold rush caused that figure to be reached by 1893. The constitution was then amended to make the Legislative Council an elective house of 21 seats, with three members to be elected from each of seven provinces. The first election to
2368-438: The lives of no other than the three outlaws, unless hostility on the part of others of the tribe should render it necessary in self defense. I am happy to say these measures have already been attended with considerable effect. The whole of this hostile tribe have been harassed by the constant succession of parties sent against them, and in some instances have been hotly pursued to a considerable distance in different directions. By
2432-503: The new provinces bore the same names as the previous provinces. The Acts Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 1987 , which took effect at the 1989 state election , created six electoral regions to replace the previous electoral provinces. Initially, the South West and North Metropolitan regions each returned seven members, while the other regions each returned five. This arrangement was changed to have each region return six members for
2496-445: The other hand, it is clear that a number of colonists were unhappy with the actions of the government. Robert Lyon, who published his account of the period in 1839 after he had left the colony, wrote that while the killing of Midgegooroo and Yagan was 'applauded by a certain class', they were 'far from being universally approved. Many were silent, but some of the most respectable of the settlers loudly expressed their disapprobation.' There
2560-486: The principle records of the events over the next few days, and it is difficult to be definite about the chronological sequence between Midgegooroo's capture on 17 May and execution on the 22nd. It appears likely that Irwin spent the period weighing up his alternatives, consulting with the Executive Council as well as men such as G.F. Moore who, as well as being a private colonist, held the official post of Commissioner of
2624-404: The prisoner as the same man. Irwin reported that he gave 'much anxious consideration' to Midgegooroo's punishment: "The experiment of confinement, which had been tried to some extent in the case of the three Natives whose transportation to Carnac Island and ultimate escape I have reported to your Lordship in a former dispatch appeared to have produced no good effect on the subjects of that trial, and
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2688-562: The said body forthwith before the nearest Justice of the Peace.' Frederick Irwin rationalized his actions to the Secretary of State in the following terms: This pecuniary stimulus has had the hoped for effect, by bringing forward some efficient volunteers among the Settlers whose ----- and occupations have necessarily given them a more intimate knowledge of the haunts of the natives in the neighbourhood of
2752-612: The same number of votes needed to elect a single member from Perth. This style of weighting has not been adopted by any other Australian state. While the Liberal Party and Labor Party were both advantaged and disadvantaged by this system, it strongly benefited the National Party . During the 1990s, Liberal Premier Richard Court considered changing the system along the lines of that in place in South Australia , but backed down in
2816-562: The search for Midgegooroo, Yagan and Munday proceeded quickly as the military and private settlers combed the region. One volunteer party led by a colonist named Thomas Hunt (according to G.F. Moore, 'a most appropriate name' who had previously been a constable in London) headed south 'in the direction of the Murray' and came across a number of 'native huts' not far from the south shore of the Swan. They 'routed'
2880-481: The settled district than is possessed by the Military, but no volunteers have received permission to act unless headed by a Magistrate or a Constable. Parties of the Military have also been in constant movement, traversing the bush is such directions as reports or conjecture rendered most likely to lead to a discovery of the lurking place of the offending tribes. These parties have all received express instructions to attempt
2944-506: The state used a zonally weighted electoral system for both houses of parliament. In Legislative Council elections, this meant a vote in Perth was worth around 47% of a rural vote. The WA Legislative Council is the last remaining State or Territory chamber in Australia to have a significant rural overweighting. For example, the Mining and Pastoral Region has 16% of the average number of electors in
3008-414: The territory of existing districts. In 1890, following the creation of the Legislative Assembly , the Legislative Council returned to being a completely appointed body, with 15 members. The Constitution Act Amendment Act 1893 was subsequently passed, taking effect in 1894, to provide for seven electoral provinces, each electing three members. Additional provinces were created in 1897 and 1900, and
3072-544: The three metropolitan regions, which on paper gives Mining and Pastoral voters six times the voting power of those in the city of Perth. However, according to Green, the actual bias is greater due to historically lower turnout in the Mining and Pastoral region. The Legislative Council Act 1870 , which took effect the same year, created ten electoral districts for the Legislative Council, electing twelve members in total. Three later acts of parliament (in 1874, 1883, and 1887) established four more electoral districts, created from
3136-468: The time Irwin's dispatch had been received in London, Midgegooroo had been captured and executed. Despite his efforts to convince his superiors that his actions were justified, Irwin was criticised by the Secretary of State, who would have preferred a sentence of imprisonment, believing that execution would do little to improve relationships between the traditional owners and the colonists. But as Irwin intended,
3200-603: The truth from Yagan, whereupon Yagan told him that if Midgegooroo's life was taken, he would retaliate by killing three white men. Six days later, it appears that news of the killing had still not penetrated the Noongar community for, when Moore was visited on 2 June by Weeip , Yagan's son Narral, and some women, they asked him again about Midgegooroo and his young son. Moore again concealed the execution but assured them that his son 'would come back again by & bye.' Two days later, Moore recorded that thefts of sheep and goats continued on
3264-461: The unanimous advice of the Council, I therefore decided on his execution as the only sure mode of securing the Colony from an enemy, who was doubly dangerous from his apparently implacable hostility and from his influence as an acknowledged Chief. The latter circumstance being also calculated to render his death a more striking example." The Perth Gazette recorded the execution as follows: "In the absence of
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#17331257899353328-402: The upper house since 1983 . Six members of the Legislative Council are elected from each of the six regions under a proportional and preferential voting system using the single transferable vote method. Each council region overlaps with a varying number of Assembly seats. Because of the proportional representation system in place as well as the malapportionment in favour of rural regions,
3392-423: The way place.' Irwin told the Secretary of State he had conducted a 'patient examination' and had received statements from 'several credible witnesses', twelve-year-old Ralph Entwhistle, John Staunton of the 63rd Regiment of Foot, Charles Bourne, constable Thomas Hunt, James Lacey, Thomas Yule (sworn before Magistrates at Fremantle) and John Ellis. Each gave brief details of Midgegooroo's alleged crimes, and identified
3456-408: The women and children of the tribe' and clearly unaware of his outlaw status and his impending doom. On Thursday 16 May, a military party led by Captain Ellis, acting on information that Midgegooroo was in the area, joined forces with a number of civilians, including Thomas Hardey and J. Hancock. After camping overnight, the next morning they came across Midgegooroo and his young son: The old man finding
3520-569: Was acting Governor of Western Australia from 1847 to 1848. Born in 1794 in Drogheda , Ireland , Frederick Chidley Irwin was the son of Reverend James Irwin. Some sources give the year 1788 as his birthyear. In 1808, he was commissioned into the 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot . He saw service in Spain and Portugal , and took part in several major battles of the Peninsula War , for which he
3584-559: Was awarded a medal. In 1816-17 he was stationed in Cape of Good Hope , and later in Ceylon . In 1828, the British government decided to establish a colony on the western coast of Australia , and a cousin of Irwin's, James Stirling , was appointed its first Lieutenant-Governor . Irwin was subsequently sent to the colony as a major in command of a detachment of the 63rd Regiment of Foot , whose mission
3648-509: Was convinced that his actions were merited. Writing in England about two years after the events of 1833, he asserted that 'these acts of justice so completely succeeded in their object of intimidating the natives on the Swan and Canning Rivers that recent accounts from the colony represent the shepherds and others in the habit of going about the country, as having for a considerable laid aside their usual precaution of carrying firearms, so peaceable had
3712-413: Was criticism also from other Australian colonies about the execution of Midgegooroo. The Hobart Town Review of 20 August 1833 was full of vitriol for Irwin's actions: "It is hard to conceive any offence on the part of the poor unfortunate wretch that could justify the putting him to death, even in the open field, but to slay him in cool blood to us appears a cruel murder without palliation." Irwin, however,
3776-461: Was passed in November 2021 and established a "one vote, one value" system in the Legislative Council for the first time. The electoral regions were abolished and replaced by a single state-wide electorate of 37 members, while GVTs were replaced by optional preferential voting. The changes will take effect in the 2025 state election . Voters will be required to vote for one or more preferred parties above
3840-625: Was pinioned and blindfolded, and bound to the outer door of the Jail. The Resident then reported to his Honor the Lieutenant Governor (who was on the spot accompanied by the Members of the Council), that all was prepared, – the warrant being declared final – he turned around and gave the signal to the party of the 63rd [which had volunteered] to advance and halt at 6 paces, – they then fired – and Midgegooroo fell. – The whole arrangement and execution after
3904-632: Was removed 'out of sound and hearing of what was to happen to his father and has since been forwarded to the Government Schooner, Ellen, now lying off Garden Island, with particular instructions from the Magistrates to ensure him every protection and kind treatment.' Irwin informed the Secretary of State that 'the child has been kept in ignorance of his father's fate, and it is my present intention to retain him in confinement, and by kind treatment I am in hope from his tender age he may be so inured to civilized habits as to make it improbable he will revert to
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#17331257899353968-585: Was temporarily appointed to act as administrator of the colony while Stirling was in England. During Irwin's period in charge the colony experienced difficulty in its relations with the Aboriginal people , and both colonists and Aboriginals were killed in different encounters such as the Pinjarra Massacre . After the killing of several settlers Irwin placed a bounty on the heads of the most aggressive Noongar warriors, including Yagan and Midgegooroo . This
4032-468: Was to be among the most controversial of Irwin's initiatives during his tenure in the Swan River Colony. According to his account, immediately after a series of skirmishes Irwin conferred with his Executive Council 'to take such steps for a prompt and summary retaliation, as the means at my disposal admitted.' A proclamation was issued and published in the Perth Gazette offering a reward of 30 pounds for
4096-572: Was to protect and help establish the colony. He arrived with his men on board HMS Sulphur in June 1829, six days after the arrival of the first settlers and Stirling on the Parmelia . Irwin's position as officer commanding the troops afforded him the further position of vice chairman of the Legislative Council appointed by Stirling in January 1831. From September 1832 until September 1833, Irwin
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