What was changed in the 1967 referendum?
Saturday 27th of May marks the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum in which Australians voted overwhelmingly to amend the Constitution to allow the Commonwealth to make laws for Aboriginal people and include them in the census.
What is an example of a referendum in Australia?
In 1984, voters in Western Australia voted against permanent daylight saving/summer time for a second time. In 1992, after trialling Daylight Saving in Queensland for a total of three years, a referendum was held, with 54.5% of Queenslanders voting against daylight saving.
What events led to the 1967 referendum?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have always protested and fought against these injustices. There was no single moment that sparked the 1967 Referendum, more a growing swell of support for change led by a range of people and organisations.
How did the 1967 referendum impact Australia?
The 1967 referendum did not end discrimination in Australia but instead opened a door for the Australian Government to make specific laws that applied to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that could assist in addressing inequalities.
What are 2 referendums that have been held in Australia?
Australia has held 2 national plebiscites, in 1916 and 1917, relating to the introduction of conscription during the First World War. Both were defeated. No specific rules exist about the running of a plebiscite. If another plebiscite is conducted, the Parliament will decide on how it is run.
What was the first referendum in Australia?
First referendum: 1898 In June 1898 referendums were held in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Australia was the first nation to take a proposed constitution to the people for approval. (Switzerland had held a referendum to approve changes to its constitution in 1874).
What was the question in the 1967 referendum?
Voters were asked whether to give the Federal Government the power to make special laws for Indigenous Australians in states, and whether in population counts for constitutional purposes to include all Indigenous Australians. The term “the Aboriginal Race” was used in the question.