Australian referendum, 1977 (Referendums)
Encyclopedia
Constitution Alteration 1977 proposed to allow residents in the territories to vote in referendums. Residents in territories were to be counted towards the national total, but would not be counted toward any state total. The question was put to a referendum in the Australian referendum, 1977
.
Do you approve the proposed law?
voted as residents of South Australia
. Territorians could therefore vote in constitutional referendums. When the Territory was surrendered to the Commonwealth in 1911, however, its citizens lost the vote in such referendums
, due to the failure to refer to Territory voters in s. 128. Residents of the Australian Capital Territory
were similarly restricted. In 1967 demonstrations against this restriction upon civil rights occurred in Alice Springs, as Territorians expressed their resentment at not being able to vote in the Aborigines referendum.
In the 1974 referendum
the Whitlam
Government attempted to amend s. 128 in a double-pronged proposal. Territorial voting rights in referendums were sought, but the Government also proposed that constitutional amendments could be carried with just half of the States — instead of a majority of States — voting in favour. Only New South Wales
supported the proposal, but it is likely that had the Territories section been a separate question, it would have been ratified.
In 1977 the question of Territory votes was relatively uncontroversial, being carried in every State, gaining a national YES vote of 77.7 per cent, though Queensland
(40.4 per cent) and Tasmania
(37.8 per cent) had quite large NO votes. It has been claimed that the high vote of approval was a reminder of Australia's honourable record of electoral reform — that the amendment had 'Australian political tradition behind it'. Despite John Paul of the University of New South Wales dismissing the change as the granting of a 'hollow privilege', the Canberra Times
stated that people in both Territories should be grateful, 'for the universal acknowledgment that their natural right to vote in future referendums will now be given the force of law'.
Australian referendum, 1977
The 1977 Australian Referendum was held on 21 May 1977. It contained four referendum questions and one non-binding plebiscite.Referendums:* Simultaneous Elections * Senate Casual Vacancies ...
.
Results
It is proposed to alter the Constitution so as to allow electors in the territories, as well as electors in the states, to vote at referendums on proposed laws to alter the Constitution.Do you approve the proposed law?
| State | On rolls |
Ballots issued |
For | Against | Informal | ||
| % | % | ||||||
| New South Wales | 3,007,511 | 2,774,388 | 2,292,822 | 83.92% | 439,247 | 16.08% | 42,319 |
| Victoria | 2,252,831 | 2,083,136 | 1,647,187 | 80.78% | 391,855 | 19.22% | 44,094 |
| Queensland | 1,241,426 | 1,138,842 | 670,820 | 59.58% | 455,051 | 40.42% | 12,971 |
| South Australia | 799,243 | 745,990 | 606,743 | 83.29% | 121,770 | 16.71% | 17,477 |
| Western Australia | 682,291 | 617,463 | 437,751 | 72.62% | 165,049 | 27.38% | 14,663 |
| Tasmania | 259,081 | 246,063 | 150,346 | 62.25% | 91,184 | 37.75% | 4,533 |
| Total for Commonwealth | 8,242,383 | 7,605,882 | 5,805,669 | 77.72% | 1,664,156 | 22.28% | 136,057 |
| Obtained majority in all six States and an overall majority of 4,141,513 votes. |
|||||||
| Carried | |||||||
Discussion
At the time of Federation the very few people who lived in the Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
voted as residents of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Territorians could therefore vote in constitutional referendums. When the Territory was surrendered to the Commonwealth in 1911, however, its citizens lost the vote in such referendums
Referendums in Australia
In Australia, referendums are binding polls usually used to alter the Constitution of the Commonwealth or a state or territory. Non-binding polls are usually referred to as plebiscites.-Federal referendums:...
, due to the failure to refer to Territory voters in s. 128. Residents of the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
were similarly restricted. In 1967 demonstrations against this restriction upon civil rights occurred in Alice Springs, as Territorians expressed their resentment at not being able to vote in the Aborigines referendum.
Australian referendum, 1967 (Aboriginals)
The referendum of 27 May 1967 approved two amendments to the Australian constitution relating to Indigenous Australians. Technically it was a vote on the Constitution Alteration 1967, which became law on 10 August 1967 following the results of the referendum...
In the 1974 referendum
Australian referendum, 1974 (Mode of Altering the Constitution)
Since federation, voters in the Australian territories had been excluded from voting in referendums. The proposed law, Constitution Alteration 1974 attempted to rectify this situation by counting voters in the territories towards the national majority, but not towards any state total.The question...
the Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
Government attempted to amend s. 128 in a double-pronged proposal. Territorial voting rights in referendums were sought, but the Government also proposed that constitutional amendments could be carried with just half of the States — instead of a majority of States — voting in favour. Only New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
supported the proposal, but it is likely that had the Territories section been a separate question, it would have been ratified.
In 1977 the question of Territory votes was relatively uncontroversial, being carried in every State, gaining a national YES vote of 77.7 per cent, though Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
(40.4 per cent) and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
(37.8 per cent) had quite large NO votes. It has been claimed that the high vote of approval was a reminder of Australia's honourable record of electoral reform — that the amendment had 'Australian political tradition behind it'. Despite John Paul of the University of New South Wales dismissing the change as the granting of a 'hollow privilege', the Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times newspaper was founded in 1926 in Canberra, Australia by Arthur Shakespeare.It was the second paper to be printed in the city, the first being The Federal Capital Pioneer. The paper was sold to the Fairfax group in the 1960s by Arthur Shakespeare on the condition that it continue...
stated that people in both Territories should be grateful, 'for the universal acknowledgment that their natural right to vote in future referendums will now be given the force of law'.