Australia. Referendum, 1946
Question 1
Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled ‘Constitution Alteration (Social Services) 1946’?
Constitution Alteration (Social Services) 1946 sought to give the Commonwealth Parliament power over a wide range of social services by inserting a new subsection into section 51.
Australia. Referendum, 1946. Question 1
| State | Number on rolls | Ballot papers issued | For (v) | For (%) | Against (v) | Against (%) | Informal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 1 858 749 | 1 757 150 | 897 887 | 54.00 | 764 723 | 46.00 | 94 540 |
| Victoria | 1 345 537 | 1 261 374 | 671 967 | 55.98 | 528 452 | 44.02 | 60 955 |
| Queensland | 660 316 | 612 170 | 299 205 | 51.26 | 284 465 | 48.74 | 28 500 |
| South Australia | 420 361 | 399 301 | 197 395 | 51.73 | 184 172 | 48.27 | 17 734 |
| Western Australia | 300 337 | 279 066 | 164 017 | 62.26 | 99 412 | 37.74 | 15 637 |
| Tasmania | 154 553 | 144 880 | 67 463 | 50.58 | 65 924 | 49.42 | 11 493 |
| Total for Commonwealth | 4 739 853 | 4 453 941* | 2 297 934 | 54.39 | 1 927 148 | 45.61 | 228 859 |
* Including 37 021 votes by members of the Forces of which in the case of (1) 22 824 were for, 13 211 against and 986 informal; (2) 19 924 for, 15 997 against, 1100 informal, and (3) 20 445 for, 15 239 against, 1337 informal.
Obtained majority in all six States and an overall majority of 370 786 votes.
Carried
Question 2
Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled ‘Constitution Alteration (Organised Marketing of Primary Products) 1946’?
Constitution Alteration (Organised Marketing of Primary Products) 1946 sought to give the Commonwealth Parliament power to make laws with respect to the organised marketing of primary products, unrestricted by section 92.
Australia. Referendum, 1946. Question 2
| State | Number on rolls | Ballot papers issued | For (v) | For (%) | Against (v) | Against (%) | Informal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 1 858 749 | 1 757 150 | 855 233 | 51.83 | 794 852 | 48.17 | 107 065 |
| Victoria | 1 345 537 | 1 261 374 | 624 343 | 52.37 | 567 860 | 47.63 | 69 171 |
| Queensland | 660 316 | 612 170 | 251 672 | 43.74 | 323 678 | 56.26 | 36 820 |
| South Australia | 420 361 | 399 301 | 183 674 | 48.74 | 193 201 | 51.26 | 22 426 |
| Western Australia | 300 337 | 279 066 | 145 781 | 56.21 | 113 562 | 43.79 | 19 723 |
| Tasmania | 154 553 | 144 880 | 55 561 | 42.55 | 75 018 | 57.45 | 14 301 |
| Total for Commonwealth | 4 739 853 | 4 453 941* | 2 116 264 | 50.57 | 2 068 171 | 49.43 | 269 506 |
* See note under (1) above.
Obtained majority in three States and an overall majority of 48 093 votes.
Not carried
Question 3
Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled ‘Constitution Alteration (Industrial Employment) 1946’?
Constitution Alteration (Industrial Employment) 1946 sought to give the Commonwealth Parliament power to make laws with respect to the terms and conditions of industrial employment (but not so as to authorise any form of industrial conscription).
Australia. Referendum, 1946. Question 3
| State | Number on rolls | Ballot papers issued | For (v) | For (%) | Against (v) | Against (%) | Informal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 1 858 749 | 1 757 150 | 833 822 | 51.72 | 778 280 | 48.28 | 145 048 |
| Victoria | 1 345 537 | 1 261 374 | 609 355 | 52.08 | 560 773 | 47.92 | 91 246 |
| Queensland | 660 316 | 612 170 | 243 242 | 43.42 | 316 970 | 56.58 | 51 958 |
| South Australia | 420 361 | 399 301 | 179 153 | 48.20 | 192 516 | 51.80 | 27 632 |
| Western Australia | 300 337 | 279 066 | 142 186 | 55.74 | 112 881 | 44.26 | 23 999 |
| Tasmania | 154 553 | 144 880 | 52 517 | 41.37 | 74 440 | 58.63 | 17 923 |
| Total for Commonwealth | 4 739 853 | 4 453 941* | 2 060 275 | 50.30 | 2 035 860 | 49.70 | 357 806 |
* See note under (1) above.
Obtained majority in three States and an overall majority of 24 415 votes.
Not carried