1988 Australian referendum


The 1988 Australian Referendum was held on 3 September 1988. It contained four referendum questions, none of which passed.
QuestionNSWVicQldSAWATasACTNTStates in favourVoters in favourResult
Parliamentary Terms
Fair Elections
Local Government
Rights and Freedoms

Parliamentary Terms

Constitution Alteration 1988 was a proposal put to referendum in the Australian referendum, 1988. It proposed to alter the Australian constitution such that Senate terms be reduced from six to four years, and House of Representative terms be increased from three years to four years. It also proposed for the fourth time that Senate and House elections occur simultaneously.
Question and Results
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?
StateOn rollsBallots issuedYes%No%Informal
New South Wales3,564,8563,297,2461,032,62131.66%2,228,50368.34%36,122
Victoria2,697,0962,491,183886,12836.20%1,561,75963.80%43,296
Queensland1,693,2471,552,293542,41435.15%1,000,12464.84%9,755
South Australia937,974873,511229,93826.76%629,45473.24%14,119
Western Australia926,636845,209255,55630.67%577,55569.33%12,098
Tasmania302,324282,78570,69825.34%208,29774.66%3,790
Australian Capital Territory166,131149,12864,45843.62%83,32856.38%1,342
Northern Territory74,69556,37021,09238.13%34,22261.87%1,056
Total for Commonwealth10,362,9599,537,7253,099,27032.91%6,316,94067.09%121,515

Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 3,217,670 votes. Not carried.

Fair Elections

Constitution Alteration 1988 proposed to enshrine in the Constitution of Australia a guarantee that all Commonwealth, State and Territory elections would be conducted democratically. The question was put to a referendum in the Australian referendum, 1988. The main aim of the question was to enshrine the One vote, one value principle in the Constitution.
This referendum question came about due to the widespread malapportionment and gerrymandering which was endemic during Joh Bjelke-Petersen's term as the Queensland Premier. It was opposed by both the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia.
Question and Results
A proposed law: is to alter the Constitution to provide for fair and democratic parliamentary elections throughout Australia.
Do you approve this proposed alteration?
StateOn rollsBallots issuedYes%No%Informal
New South Wales3,564,8563,297,2461,159,71335.57%2,100,60464.43%36,929
Victoria2,697,0962,491,183981,50840.12%1,465,11959.88%44,556
Queensland1,693,2471,552,293691,49244.83%850,97955.17%9,822
South Australia937,974873,511263,00630.61%596,10269.39%14,403
Western Australia926,636845,209266,63932.02%566,14567.98%12,425
Tasmania302,324282,78580,60828.89%198,37271.11%3,805
Australian Capital Territory166,131149,12876,81551.99%70,93748.01%1,376
Northern Territory74,69556,37023,76342.99%31,51257.01%1,095
Total for Commonwealth10,362,9599,537,7253,538,81737.59%5,874,55862.41%124,350

Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 2,335,741 votes. Not carried.

Local Government

The Australian Constitution recognises Government at Federal and State levels, but makes no mention of local government. Constitution Alteration 1988 proposed to alter the constitution so as to recognise local government.
The "no" campaign in 1988 argued that this change would undermine States' rights, i.e. that it would move - or make it possible to move - some power from State Governments to Local Governments.
Question and Results
A Proposed Law: To alter the Constitution to recognise local government.
Do you approve this proposed alteration?
StateOn rollsBallots issuedYes%No%Informal
New South Wales3,564,8563,297,2461,033,36431.70%2,226,52968.30%37,353
Victoria2,697,0962,491,183882,02036.06%1,563,95763.94%45,206
Queensland1,693,2471,552,293590,86838.31%951,33261.69%10,093
South Australia937,974873,511256,42129.85%602,49970.15%14,591
Western Australia926,636845,209247,83029.76%584,86370.24%12,516
Tasmania302,324282,78576,70727.50%202,21472.50%3,864
Australian Capital Territory166,131149,12858,75539.78%88,94560.22%1,428
Northern Territory74,69556,37021,44938.80%33,82661.20%1,095
Total for Commonwealth10,362,9599,537,7253,163,48833.61%6,248,16666.39%126,071

Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 3,084,678 votes. Not carried.

Rights and Freedoms

The Constitution Alteration 1988 was proposed legislation that was put to referendum in the Australian referendum, 1988. The legislation sought to enshrine in the Australian constitution various civil rights, including freedom of religion, rights in relation to trials, and rights regarding the compulsory acquisition of property.
The "religious freedom" part of the proposed change was opposed by many churches and religious-affiliated schools concerned that it would be interpreted as requiring a level of church-state separation that would put public funding and government assistance for faith schools in jeopardy.
Conversely, Liberal senator Richard Alston argued that the aforementioned provision could place the use of corporal punishment in religious schools beyond the power of the government to regulate.
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?
StateOn rollsBallots issuedYes%No%Informal
New South Wales3,564,8563,297,246965,04529.65%2,289,64570.35%42,556
Victoria2,697,0962,491,183816,05733.42%1,625,48466.58%49,642
Queensland1,693,2471,552,293506,71032.90%1,033,64567.10%11,938
South Australia937,974873,511223,03826.01%634,43873.99%16,035
Western Australia926,636845,209233,91728.14%597,32271.86%13,970
Tasmania302,324282,78570,98725.49%207,48674.51%4,312
Australian Capital Territory166,131149,12860,06440.71%87,46059.29%1,604
Northern Territory74,69556,37020,50337.14%34,69962.86%1,168
Total for Commonwealth10,362,9599,537,7252,892,82830.79%6,503,75269.21%141,145

Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 3,610,924 votes. Not carried.
This last question holds the record for lowest national support by percentage out of all Australian referendum questions.