Public vote in Australia containing a total of five questions
The 1977 Australian referendum was held on 21 May 1977. It contained four referendum questions and one non-binding plebiscite . To date, it is the most recent referendum to have been successful in Australia .
This referendum had a particularly strong "Yes" vote. All but one of the referendum questions were carried, and the only one not carried had a clear national majority, but was held back by not achieving a majority of the states. No referendum since then has been successful.[a] [1]
The four referendum questions were only voted on in the states; voters in the territories only gained the right to vote on constitutional changes as a result of the Referendums amendment passing. Voters in the territories, however, were able to vote on the plebiscite.[1]
Results in detail [ edit ] Simultaneous Elections [ edit ] This section is an excerpt from 1977 Australian referendum (Simultaneous Elections) § Results Result [1] State Electoral roll Ballots issued For Against Informal Vote % Vote % New South Wales 3,007,511 2,774,388 1,931,775 70.71 800,331 29.29 42,282 Victoria 2,252,831 2,083,136 1,325,708 65.00 713,929 35.00 43,499 Queensland 1,241,426 1,138,842 534,968 47.51 590,942 52.49 12,932 South Australia 799,243 745,990 480,827 65.99 247,762 34.01 17,401 Western Australia 682,291 617,463 292,344 48.47 310,765 51.53 14,354 Tasmania 259,081 246,063 82,785 34.26 158,818 65.74 4,460 Total for Commonwealth 8,242,383 7,605,882 4,648,407 62.22 2,822,547 37.78 134,928 Results Obtained majority in three states and an overall majority of 1,825,860 votes. Not carried
Senate Casual Vacancies [ edit ] This section is an excerpt from 1977 Australian referendum (Senate Casual Vacancies) § Results Result [1] State Electoral roll Ballots issued For Against Informal Vote % Vote % New South Wales 3,007,511 2,774,388 2,230,218 81.62 502,171 18.38 41,999 Victoria 2,252,831 2,083,136 1,552,558 76.13 486,798 23.87 43,780 Queensland 1,241,426 1,138,842 662,732 58.86 463,165 41.14 12,945 South Australia 799,243 745,990 557,950 76.59 170,536 23.41 17,504 Western Australia 682,291 617,463 344,389 57.11 258,655 42.89 14,419 Tasmania 259,081 246,063 129,924 53.78 111,638 46.22 4,501 Total for Commonwealth 8,242,383 7,605,882 5,477,771 73.32 1,992,963 26.68 135,148 Results Obtained majority in all six states and an overall majority of 3,484,808 votes. Carried
Referendums [ edit ] This section is an excerpt from 1977 Australian referendum (Inclusion of territories) § Results Result [1] State Electoral roll Ballots issued For Against Informal Vote % Vote % 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 Results Obtained majority in all six States and an overall majority of 4,141,513 votes. Carried
Retirement of Judges [ edit ] This section is an excerpt from 1977 Australian referendum (Retirement of Judges) § Results Result [1] State Electoral roll Ballots issued For Against Informal Vote % Vote % New South Wales 3,007,511 2,774,388 2,316,999 84.84 414,070 15.16 43,319 Victoria 2,252,831 2,083,136 1,659,273 81.43 378,505 18.57 45,358 Queensland 1,241,426 1,138,842 734,183 65.24 391,227 34.76 13,432 South Australia 799,243 745,990 622,760 85.57 104,987 14.43 18,243 Western Australia 682,291 617,463 472,228 78.37 130,307 21.63 14,928 Tasmania 259,081 246,063 174,951 72.46 66,478 27.54 4,634 Total for Commonwealth 8,242,383 7,605,882 5,980,394 80.10 1,485,574 19.90 139,914 Results Obtained majority in all six States and an overall majority of 4,494,820 votes. Carried
National Song [ edit ] This section is an excerpt from 1977 Australian plebiscite (National Song) § Results Voters were presented with the following choice: Against the background that 'GOD SAVE THE QUEEN' is the NATIONAL ANTHEM to be played on Regal and Vice Regal occasions, electors may indicate their preferences as to which of the tunes of the songs listed below they would prefer to be played on other occasions.[2]
See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] Further reading [ edit ]