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Australia. Referendum, 1988



Question 1

A Proposed Law: To alter the Constitution to provide for 4 year maximum terms for members of both Houses of the Commonwealth Parliament.

Do you approve this proposed alteration?

Constitution Alteration (Parliamentary Terms) 1988 sought to increase House of Representatives terms from a maximum of three years to a maximum of four years, and to reduce Senate terms from a six-year fixed term to a four-year fixed term. It also sought to introduce simultaneous elections for the Houses.

Result
State Number on rolls Ballot papers issued For Against Informal
  %   %
New South Wales 3 564 856 3 297 246 1 032 621 31.66 2 228 503 68.34 36 122
Victoria 2 697 096 2 491 183 886 128 36.20 1 561 759 63.80 43 296
Queensland 1 693 247 1 542 293 538 779 35.15 993 822 64.85 9 692
South Australia 937 974 873 511 229 938 26.76 629 454 73.24 14 119
Western Australia 926 636 845 209 255 556 30.67 577 555 69.33 12 098
Tasmania 302 324 282 785 70 698 25.34 208 297 74.66 3 790
Australian Capital Territory 166 131 149 128 64 458 43.62 83 328 56.38 1 342
Northern Territory 74 695 56 370 21 092 38.13 34 222 61.87 1 056
Total for Commonwealth 10 362 959 9 537 725 3 099 270 32.91 6 316 940 67.09 121 515
Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 3 217 670 votes.
Not carried

Question 2

A Proposed Law: To alter the Constitution to provide for fair and democratic parliamentary elections throughout Australia.

Do you approve this proposed alteration?

Constitution Alteration (Fair Elections) 1988 sought to ensure that democratic electoral arrangements would be guaranteed for Commonwealth, State and Territory elections.

Result
State Number on rolls Ballot papers issued For Against Informal
  %   %
New South Wales 3 564 856 3 297 246 1 159 713 35.57 2 100 604 64.43 36 929
Victoria 2 697 096 2 491 183 981 508 40.12 1 465 119 59.88 44 556
Queensland 1 693 247 1 542 293 686 765 44.81 845 767 55.19 9 761
South Australia 937 974 873 511 263 006 30.61 596 102 69.39 14 403
Western Australia 926 636 845 209 266 639 32.02 566 145 67.98 12 425
Tasmania 302 324 282 785 80 608 28.89 198 372 71.11 3 805
Australian Capital Territory 166 131 149 128 76 815 51.99 70 937 48.01 1 376
Northern Territory 74 695 56 370 23 763 42.99 31 512 57.01 1 095
Total for Commonwealth 10 362 959 9 537 725 3 538 817 37.59 5 874 558 62.41 124 350
Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 2 335 741 votes.
Not carried

Question 3

A Proposed Law: To alter the Constitution to recognise local government.

Do you approve this proposed alteration?

The Constitution recognises government at the Commonwealth and State levels but makes no mention of local government. Constitution Alteration (Local Government) 1988 sought to give such constitutional recognition to local government.

Result
State Number on rolls Ballot papers issued For Against Informal
  %   %
New South Wales 3 564 856 3 297 246 1 033 364 31.70 2 226 529 68.30 37 353
Victoria 2 697 096 2 491 183 882 020 36.06 1 563 957 63.94 45 206
Queensland 1 693 247 1 542 293 586 942 38.31 945 333 61.69 10 018
South Australia 937 974 873 511 256 421 29.85 602 499 70.15 14 591
Western Australia 926 636 845 209 247 830 29.76 584 863 70.24 12 516
Tasmania 302 324 282 785 76 707 27.50 202 214 72.50 3 864
Australian Capital Territory 166 131 149 128 58 755 39.78 88 945 60.22 1 428
Northern Territory 74 695 56 370 21 449 38.80 33 826 61.20 1 095
Total for Commonwealth 10 362 959 9 537 725 3 163 488 33.61 6 248 166 66.39 126 071
Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 3 084 678 votes.
Not carried

Question 4

A Proposed Law: To alter the Constitution to extend the right to trial by jury, to extend freedom of religion, and to ensure fair terms for persons whose property is acquired by any government.

Do you approve this proposed alteration?

Constitution Alteration (Rights and Freedoms) 1988 sought to guarantee various civil rights in relation to trials, freedom of religion and compulsory acquisition of property.

Result
State Number on rolls Ballot papers issued For Against Informal
  %   %
New South Wales 3 564 856 3 297 246 965 045 29.65 2 289 645 70.35 42 556
Victoria 2 697 096 2 491 183 816 057 33.42 1 625 484 66.58 49 642
Queensland 1 693 247 1 542 293 503 217 32.88 1 027 218 67.12 11 858
South Australia 937 974 873 511 223 038 26.01 634 438 73.99 16 035
Western Australia 926 636 845 209 233 917 28.14 597 322 71.86 13 970
Tasmania 302 324 282 785 70 987 25.49 207 486 74.51 4 312
Australian Capital Territory 166 131 149 128 60 064 40.71 87 460 59.29 1 604
Northern Territory 74 695 56 370 20 503 37.14 34 699 62.86 1 168
Total for Commonwealth 10 362 959 9 537 725 2 892 828 30.79 6 503 752 69.21 141 145
Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 3 610 924 votes.
Not carried

Source:

http://www.aph.gov.au/library/handbook/referendums/r1988.htm

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