1977 Australian referendum

The 1977 Australian Referendum was held on 21 May 1977. It contained four referendum questions and one non-binding plebiscite.

Result[1]

Question	NSW	Vic	Qld	SA	WA	Tas	Majority of states?	Majority of voters?	Result
(33) Simultaneous Elections	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Not carried
(34) Senate Casual Vacancies	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Carried
(35) Referendums	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Carried
(36) Retirement of Judges	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Carried

This referendum had a particularly strong "Yes" vote. All but one of the referendum questions was carried, and the only one to not be 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.[1]

Plebiscite[1]

	NSW	Vic	Qld	SA	WA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total voters
National Song (Song with most votes)	Advance Australia Fair	Advance Australia Fair	Advance Australia Fair	Song of Australia	Advance Australia Fair	Advance Australia Fair	Waltzing Matilda	Advance Australia Fair	Advance Australia Fair

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]

See also

• Politics of Australia
• History of Australia

References

1. Handbook of the 44th Parliament (2014) "Part 5 - Referendums and Plebiscites - Referendum results". Parliamentary Library of Australia..

Further reading

• Standing Committee on Legislative and Constitutional Affairs (1997) Constitutional Change: Select sources on Constitutional change in Australia 1901–1997. Australian Government Printing Service, Canberra.
• Bennett, Scott (2003). Research Paper no. 11 2002–03: The Politics of Constitutional Amendment Australian Department of the Parliamentary Library, Canberra.
• Australian Electoral Commission (2007) Referendum Dates and Results 1906 – Present AEC, Canberra.