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Home | Referendums and Plebiscites | Referendum results 1977

Referendum results

21 May 1977

(33) Simultaneous Elections; (34) Senate Casual Vacancies; (35) Referendums; (36) Retirement of Judges

Question 1

It is proposed to alter the Constitution to ensure that Senate elections are held at the same time as House of Representatives elections.

Do you approve the proposed law?

Constitution Alteration (Simultaneous Elections) 1977 proposed to introduce simultaneous elections for both Houses of Parliament.

Result
State Number on rolls Ballot papers issued For Against Informal
  %   %
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
Obtained majority in three States and an overall majority of 1 825 860 votes.
Not carried

Question 2

It is proposed to alter the Constitution to ensure as far as practicable that a casual vacancy in the Senate is filled by a person of the same political party as the Senator chosen by the people and for the balance of his term.

Do you approve the proposed law?

Constitution Alteration (Senate Casual Vacancies) 1977 sought, by amending section 15, to ensure as far as practicable that a casual vacancy in the Senate would be filled by a person of the same political party as the Senator chosen by the people, and that the new Senator would hold the seat for the balance of the original term.

Result
State Number on rolls Ballot papers issued For Against Informal
  %   %
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
Obtained majority in all six States and an overall majority of 3 484 808 votes.
Carried

Question 3

It is proposed to alter the Constitution so as to allow electors in the Territories, as well as electors in the States, to vote at referendums on proposed laws to alter the Constitution.

Do you approve the proposed law?

Constitution Alteration (Referendums) 1977 sought to allow electors in Territories to vote in constitutional referendums, by amending section 128. Their votes would count in the national tally only.

Result
State Number on rolls Ballot papers issued For Against Informal
  %   %
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
Obtained majority in all six States and an overall majority of 4 141 513 votes.
Carried

Question 4

It is proposed to alter the Constitution so as to provide for retiring ages for judges of federal courts.

Do you approve the proposed law?

Constitution Alteration (Retirement of Judges) 1977 proposed, by inserting new paragraphs into section 72, to establish a retiring age of 70 for judges of federal courts.

Result
State Number on rolls Ballot papers issued For Against Informal
  %   %
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
Obtained majority in all six States and an overall majority of 4 494 820 votes.
Carried

 

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