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| Durack (Australian federal division) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Durack |
| Created | 2010 |
| Mp | Melissa Price |
| Mp party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Namesake | Mary Durack |
| Electors | 85,000 |
| Area | 1790000 |
| Class | Rural |
Durack (Australian federal division) is an Australian electoral division in the state of Western Australia created in 2010 and named after the writer and pastoralist Mary Durack. The division covers a vast tract of the continent including parts of the Kimberley, the Pilbara, and the Gascoyne and is one of the largest single-member constituencies by area in the House of Representatives (Australia). The seat has been represented by members of the Liberal Party of Australia since its creation and encompasses diverse communities ranging from Broome, Western Australia to Geraldton.
Durack spans an area comparable to nations, incorporating landscapes such as the Great Sandy Desert, the Pilbara craton, and coastal zones along the Indian Ocean. The division contains major towns including Broome, Karratha, Bunbury is outside but neighboring divisions border Geraldton and Port Hedland; features such as the King Leopold Ranges lie within proximate reach, while islands like the Barrow Island sit off its coast. Its boundaries have been influenced by redistribution decisions of the Australian Electoral Commission and abut divisions such as O'Connor (Australian federal division), Pearce (Australian federal division), and Durack's neighboring divisions forbidden by instruction.
The division's creation followed a federal redistribution responding to population shifts noted by the Australian Electoral Commission in the late 2000s, succeeding parts of the abolished Kalgoorlie (Australian federal division) and sections of O'Connor (Australian federal division). Named for Mary Durack, whose family history intersects with pastoral ventures including the Durack pastoral dynasty and literature such as Kings in Grass Castles, the seat reflects historical developments like the expansion of the Wheatbelt frontier, the development of the Pilbara iron ore industry, and interactions with Noongar people and other Indigenous nations. Electoral contests in Durack have featured candidates from the Liberal National Party (Queensland) affiliate Liberal Party of Australia, the Australian Labor Party, and minor parties including The Nationals and Katter's Australian Party.
The population within the division includes significant Indigenous communities such as the Yamatji and Yawuru peoples alongside settlers of Anglo-Celtic descent and migrants linked to industries like mining and fishing from places like New Zealand and Philippines. Census profiles reflect concentrations in regional centers like Broome, Karratha, and Geraldton with occupational distribution tied to employers such as Rio Tinto, BHP, and regional administrations including the Shire of Broome. Socioeconomic indicators often reference measures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and cultural life includes traditions associated with the Kriol language and festivals like the Goolarri Media Enterprise and the Broome Fringe.
Since its inception Durack has been held by representatives from the Liberal Party of Australia, including inaugural members aligned with portfolios and committees of the Parliament of Australia. Members have engaged with issues connected to agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, and local bodies including the Pilbara Development Commission. Federal representatives have participated in parliamentary processes involving legislation like the Native Title Act 1993 debates, resource approvals overseen by the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority, and national inquiries such as those conducted by the Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network.
Electoral results in Durack have shown variations in primary votes among the Liberal Party of Australia, the Australian Labor Party, and other parties including Pauline Hanson's One Nation and The Greens (Australian political party), with preferential flows deciding outcomes under the instant-runoff voting system used for the House of Representatives (Australia). Redistributions by the Australian Electoral Commission have altered margins and prompted contestation in federal elections such as those held in 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2022, with campaign issues focusing on resource royalties linked to corporations like Fortescue Metals Group and infrastructure promises tied to North West Shelf developments.
Durack's economy is driven by sectors including mining operations of firms like BHP, Rio Tinto, and Fortescue Metals Group; energy projects such as the North West Shelf gas project; and pastoral enterprises tracing roots to families like the Durack family. Transport infrastructure includes stretches of the Great Northern Highway, regional airports such as Broome International Airport and Karratha Airport, and ports like the Port of Dampier and the Port of Geraldton. Services are supported by institutions including the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia and health facilities tied to the Western Australia Country Health Service.
Durack encompasses culturally significant sites like Cable Beach, Broome, the Horizontal Falls, and sections of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area while hosting communities including the Yindjibarndi and Bardi people. Townships such as Broome, Karratha, Derby, Western Australia, Onslow, Western Australia, and Meekatharra contribute to regional identity, alongside conservation areas like the Karijini National Park and economic precincts such as the Pilbara iron ore fields. Cultural institutions, festivals, and industries intersect with organizations like the Kimberley Land Council and events such as the Broome Cup.
Category:Electoral divisions of Australia Category:Federal electorates in Western Australia