HON BRIAN ELLIS MLC
Member for the Agricultural Region
Member for the Agricultural Region
Electorate Office: Unit 1, Druids Hall, Corner Durlacher and Sanford Streets, Geraldton, WA 6530. PO Box 231, Geraldton, WA 6531
Ph: +61 (08) 9923 9211; Fax: +61 (08) 9923 9222; Email: brian.ellis@mp.wa.gov.au
Ph: +61 (08) 9923 9211; Fax: +61 (08) 9923 9222; Email: brian.ellis@mp.wa.gov.au
Since my swearing-in ceremony in 2007, I was re-elected at the 2008 snap election.
In my view, the election results were a reassuring outcome for democracy.
Many people I spoke to were worried that former Minister Jim McGinty’s so-called ‘electoral reform’ may have locked WA into a Labor government for all time.
People in the bush were also concerned that their country voice would be lost.
Thanks to Mr McGinty, six Legislative Assembly seats were taken away from the country and eight extra seats were created in the city. There are now sixty nine city seats and only twenty six country seats in the Lower House.
Mr McGinty also intended to abolish two of the three country Regions in the Upper House. If Labor had retained government, and he had his way, only one third of the Upper House would have a country voice.
I am pleased to see that Mr McGinty is no longer able to railroad the regions with his one-vote one-value train wreck.
In my view, this was going to leave the bush riding in a second class carriage.
It is therefore with some relief that I was able to congratulate the Hon Colin Barnett as Premier, and the Ministers who form the current Cabinet.
I also look forward to working closely with my Liberal colleague Ian Blayney - the Liberal Member for Geraldton - in making sure that Minister Grylls does not overlook our region in the Royalties for Regions program!
In my view, the election results were a reassuring outcome for democracy.
Many people I spoke to were worried that former Minister Jim McGinty’s so-called ‘electoral reform’ may have locked WA into a Labor government for all time.
People in the bush were also concerned that their country voice would be lost.
Thanks to Mr McGinty, six Legislative Assembly seats were taken away from the country and eight extra seats were created in the city. There are now sixty nine city seats and only twenty six country seats in the Lower House.
Mr McGinty also intended to abolish two of the three country Regions in the Upper House. If Labor had retained government, and he had his way, only one third of the Upper House would have a country voice.
I am pleased to see that Mr McGinty is no longer able to railroad the regions with his one-vote one-value train wreck.
In my view, this was going to leave the bush riding in a second class carriage.
It is therefore with some relief that I was able to congratulate the Hon Colin Barnett as Premier, and the Ministers who form the current Cabinet.
I also look forward to working closely with my Liberal colleague Ian Blayney - the Liberal Member for Geraldton - in making sure that Minister Grylls does not overlook our region in the Royalties for Regions program!
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