31 May 1913

(6) Trade and Commerce; (7) Corporations; (8) Industrial Matters; (9) Trusts; (10) Nationalisation of Monopolies; (11) Railway Disputes

Question 1

Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled ‘Constitution Alteration (Trade and Commerce) 1912’?

Constitution Alteration (Trade and Commerce) 1912 sought to extend the Commonwealth Parliament’s power to make laws with respect to trade and commerce.

Australia. Referendum, 1913. Question 1

#	State	Number on rolls	Ballot papers issued	For (V)	%	Against (V)	%	Informal
1	New South Wales	1 036 187	717 855	317 848	46.93	359 418	53.07	39 333
2	Victoria	830 391	626 861	297 290	49.12	307 975	50.88	21 268
3	Queensland	363 082	280 525	146 187	54.34	122 813	45.66	11 304
4	South Australia	244 026	195 463	96 085	51.32	91 144	48.68	8 017
5	Western Australia	179 784	132 149	66 349	52.86	59 181	47.14	6 286
6	Tasmania	106 746	80 398	34 660	45.16	42 084	54.84	3 528
7	Total for Commonwealth	2 760 216	2 033 251	958 419	49.38	982 615	50.62	89 736

Obtained majority in three States and an overall minority of 24 196 votes.
Not carried

Question 2

Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled ‘Constitution Alteration (Corporations) 1912’?

Constitution Alteration (Corporations) 1912 sought to extend the Commonwealth Parliament’s power to make laws with respect to corporations.

Australia. Referendum, 1913. Question 2

#	State	Number on rolls	Ballot papers issued	For (V)	%	Against (V)	%	Informal
1	New South Wales	1 036 187	717 855	317 668	46.79	361 255	53.21	37 676
2	Victoria	830 391	626 861	298 479	49.14	308 915	50.86	19 139
3	Queensland	363 082	280 525	146 936	54.31	123 632	45.69	9 736
4	South Australia	244 026	195 463	96 309	51.34	91 273	48.66	7 664
5	Western Australia	179 784	132 149	66 595	52.84	59 445	47.16	5 776
6	Tasmania	106 746	80 398	34 724	45.08	42 304	54.92	3 244
7	Total for Commonwealth	2 760 216	2 033 251	960 711	49.33	986 824	50.67	83 235

Obtained majority in three States and an overall minority of 26 113 votes.
Not carried

Question 3

Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled ‘Constitution Alteration (Industrial Matters) 1912’?

Constitution Alteration (Industrial Matters) 1912 sought to extend the Commonwealth Parliament’s power to make laws with respect to industrial matters.

Australia. Referendum, 1913. Question 3

#	State	Number on rolls	Ballot papers issued	For (V)	%	Against (V)	%	Informal
1	New South Wales	1 036 187	717 855	318 622	46.88	361 044	53.12	36 933
2	Victoria	830 391	626 861	297 892	49.02	309 804	50.98	18 837
3	Queensland	363 082	280 525	147 171	54.36	123 554	45.64	9 579
4	South Australia	244 026	195 463	96 626	51.40	91 361	48.60	7 259
5	Western Australia	179 784	132 149	66 451	52.71	59 612	47.29	5 753
6	Tasmania	106 746	80 398	34 839	45.20	42 236	54.80	3 197
7	Total for Commonwealth	2 760 216	2 033 251	961 601	49.33	987 611	50.67	81 558

Obtained majority in three States and an overall minority of 26 010 votes.
Not carried

Question 4

Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled ‘Constitution Alteration (Trusts) 1912’?

Constitution Alteration (Trusts) 1912 sought to give the Commonwealth Parliament power to make laws with respect to trusts.

Australia. Referendum, 1913. Question 4

#	State	Number on rolls	Ballot papers issued	For (V)	%	Against (V)	%	Informal
1	New South Wales	1 036 187	717 855	319 150	47.12	358 155	52.88	39 294
2	Victoria	830 391	626 861	301 729	49.71	305 268	50.29	19 536
3	Queensland	363 082	280 525	147 871	54.78	122 088	45.22	10 345
4	South Australia	244 026	195 463	96 400	51.67	90 185	48.33	8 661
5	Western Australia	179 784	132 149	67 342	53.59	58 312	46.41	6 162
6	Tasmania	106 746	80 398	34 839	45.38	41 935	54.62	3 498
7	Total for Commonwealth	2 760 216	2 033 251	967 331	49.78	975 943	50.22	87 496

Obtained majority in three States and an overall minority of 8 612 votes.
Not carried

Question 5

Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled ‘Constitution Alteration (Nationalisation of Monopolies) 1912’?

Constitution Alteration (Nationalisation of Monopolies) 1912 sought to give the Commonwealth Parliament power to make laws with respect to monopolies.

Australia. Referendum, 1913. Question 5

#	State	Number on rolls	Ballot papers issued	For (V)	%	Against (V)	%	Informal
1	New South Wales	1 036 187	717 855	301 192	46.85	341 724	53.15	73 683
2	Victoria	830 391	626 861	287 379	49.07	298 326	50.93	40 828
3	Queensland	363 082	280 525	139 019	54.17	117 609	45.83	23 676
4	South Australia	244 026	195 463	91 411	51.26	86 915	48.74	16 920
5	Western Australia	179 784	132 149	64 988	53.19	57 184	46.81	9 644
6	Tasmania	106 746	80 398	33 176	45.22	40 189	54.78	6 907
7	Total for Commonwealth	2 760 216	2 033 251	917 165	49.33	941 947	50.67	171 658

Obtained majority in three States and an overall minority of 24 782 votes.
Not carried

Question 6

Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled ‘Constitution Alteration (Railway Disputes) 1912’?

Constitution Alteration (Railways Disputes) 1912 sought to give the Commonwealth Parliament power over industrial relations in the State railway services.

Australia. Referendum, 1913. Question 6

#	State	Number on rolls	Ballot papers issued	For (V)	%	Against (V)	%	Informal
1	New South Wales	1 036 187	717 855	316 928	46.70	361 743	53.30	37 928
2	Victoria	830 391	626 861	296 255	48.79	310 921	51.21	19 357
3	Queensland	363 082	280 525	146 521	54.19	123 859	45.81	9 924
4	South Australia	244 026	195 463	96 072	51.28	91 262	48.72	7 912
5	Western Australia	179 784	132 149	65 957	52.38	59 965	47.62	5 894
6	Tasmania	106 746	80 398	34 625	45.01	42 296	54.99	3 351
7	Total for Commonwealth	2 760 216	2 033 251	956 358	49.13	990 046	50.87	84 366

Obtained majority in three States and an overall minority of 33 688 votes.
Not carried