Electoral district of Bowen

Bowen
Queensland—Legislative Assembly
StateQueensland
Dates current1873–1950, 1960–1971, 1986–1992
NamesakeBowen, Queensland

Bowen was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1873 to 1950 and at various times until 1992.[1]

History

The electoral district of Bowen was established by the 1872 Electoral Districts Act.[1]

During the First McIlwraith Ministry, the seat of Bowen was occupied by three Attorneys-General: Henry Beor, Pope Alexander Cooper and Charles E. Chubb. Upon Beor's death, Cooper, who was not at that time in Parliament, was appointed Attorney-General and contested and won the resulting by-election. When he resigned, Chubb entered parliament in the same manner.

Bowen is the only state or federal electorate in Australia to elect a Communist member, Fred Paterson, who served as member for Bowen from the 1944 election until the 1950 election.

In a 1949 redistribution, Bowen was abolished, being split between the new electoral districts of Burdekin and Whitsunday.[1] It has been suggested that the redistribution was done deliberately to split Paterson's electoral support and prevent him from being returned to parliament in the 1950 election.[2] Paterson contested Whitsunday but was unsuccessful.[3]

From 1963 until 1971, member Peter Delamothe also served as Attorney-General.

Today, the electoral districts of Whitsunday and Burdekin comprise parts of the former Electoral district of Bowen.

Members

First incarnation (1873–1950)
Member Party Term
  Thomas Henry FitzGerald 1873–1875
  Francis Amhurst 1875–1877
  Henry Beor Conservative 1877–1880
  Pope Alexander Cooper Conservative 1881–1883
  Charles E. Chubb Conservative 1883–1888
  Robert Smith Conservative 1888–1890
  Ministerial 1890–1902
  Francis Kenna Labor 1902–1907
  Kidstonites 1907–1908
  Independent Opposition 1908–1909
  Myles Ferricks Labor 1909–1912
  Edwin Caine Liberal 1912–1915
  Charles Collins Labor 1915–1936
  Ernest Riordan Labor 1936–1944
  Fred Paterson Communist 1944–1950
Second incarnation (1960–1971)
  Peter Delamothe Liberal 1960–1971
Third incarnation (1986–1992)
  Ken Smyth Labor 1986–1992

Election results

Main article: Electoral results for the district of Bowen

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Representatives of Queensland State Electorates 1860-2017" (PDF). Queensland Parliamentary Record 2012-2017: The 55th Parliament. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  2. ^ "The St Patrick's Day bashing of people's champion". Ross Fitzgerald. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  3. ^ "NOMINATIONS RECEIVED FROM 174 CANDIDATES FOR 75 SEATS". Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954). Qld.: National Library of Australia. 4 April 1950. p. 5. Retrieved 14 February 2014.