Referendums in New South Wales explained

There have been 18 referendums in New South Wales, 8 of which concerned proposals to amend the New South Wales Constitution, half of which concerned the Legislative Council. While the Constitution of Australia was adopted after the 1898 and 1899 referendums in all of the proposed states, the Constitution of New South Wales, promulgated in 1902, was an Act of the Parliament of New South Wales which could be amended by Parliament. Since 1927 the Constitution has included provisions that can only be amended following approval in a referendum.[1] 8 of the referendums, including 5 on the sale of alcohol, did not involve any proposed amendment to the Constitution.[2] While these have traditionally been called referendums, they could also be described as plebiscites.[3]

Local Government Areas (also known as Councils or LGAs) can also propose Constitutional amendments such as when the Council wants to make changes to the method by which the Mayor is elected to office by direct election or indirect election by the Councillors. Councils may also conduct polls which are optional to vote in and may be limited to certain voters on a proposal to gain community opinion on building infrastructure or other matters, the result of these polls (like a plebiscite) is non-binding on the Council.[4]

List of referendums

Results of referendums
YearNameOptionAmend
Constitution		Yes %No %! class="unsortable" Ref
1898 align=left align=left colspan=2 align=left 48.53 [5]
1899 align=right align=left colspan=2 43.51
1903 align=right 1 align=left align=left Reduce to 90 17.05 [6]
1916 align=right 2 align=left align=left 6 pm 37.82 [7]
1928 align=right 3 align=left colspan=2 28.74 [8]
1933 align=right 4 align=left colspan=2 48.53 [9]
1947 align=right 5 align=left align=left 6 pm 37.54 [10]
1954 align=right 6 align=left align=left 10 pm 49.73 [11] [12]
1961 align=right 7 align=left colspan=2 42.42 [13]
1967 align=right 8 align=left colspan=2 45.82 [14]
1969 align=right 9 align=left colspan=2 42.03 [15]
1976 align=right 10 align=left colspan=2 32.59
1978 align=right 11 align=left colspan=2 15.19 [16]
align=right 12 align=left colspan=2 30.96 [17]
align=right 13 align=left colspan=2 13.99
1991 align=right 14 align=left colspan=2 42.27 [18]
align=right 15 align=left colspan=2 24.52 [19]
align=right 16 align=left colspan=2 34.10

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Constitution of New South Wales . Most of it can be changed by an ordinary amendment Act in Parliament, although some sections, including those relating to major changes to the Legislative Council, can only be amended through a referendum of NSW voters.. 15 September 2024. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240915025400/https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/about/Pages/The-Constitution-of-New-South-Wales.aspx. . 15 January 2019.
  2. Web site: Referendums in New South Wales . 15 September 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240915025611/https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/about/Pages/Referendums-in-New-South-Wales.aspx . Results of referendums in New South Wales . parliament.nsw.gov.au . 2021-10-11.
  3. News: Plebiscite or Referendum – What's the Difference . Antony . Green . Antony Green . 12 August 2015. ABC News. 27 August 2015. Confusingly, all states hold votes that they call referendums but by the national definition are actually plebiscites.. 15 September 2024. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240915025934/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-12/plebiscite-or-referendum---whats-the-difference/9388640.
  4. Web site: Referendums and polls . 15 September 2024 . 15 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240915021718/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/how-voting-works/voting-in-new-south-wales/referendums-and-polls . live . NSW Electoral Commission.
  5. Web site: Federation Fact Sheet 1 – The Referendums 1898–1900 . Australian Electoral Commission . 2021-10-25.
  6. Web site: Referendum 16 December 1903 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218192415/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/16_december_1903 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  7. Web site: Referendum 10 June 1916 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218192415/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/10_june_1916 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  8. Web site: Referendum 1 September 1928 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218192415/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/1_september_1928 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  9. Web site: Referendum 13 May 1933 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218192415/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/13_may_1933 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  10. Web site: Referendum 15 February 1947 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218192415/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/15_february_1947 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  11. News: Liquor (Amendment) Act, 1954 . Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 201 . 10 December 1954 . 25 October 2021 . 3763 . Trove.
  12. Web site: Referendum 13 November 1954 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218192415/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/13_november_1954 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  13. Web site: Referendum 29 April 1961 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218192200/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/29_april_1961 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  14. Web site: Referendum 29 April 1967. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110218192113/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/29_april_1967. 2011-02-18. NSW Electoral Commission.
  15. Web site: Referendum 29 November 1969 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218192415/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/29_november_1969 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  16. Web site: Referendum 17 June 1978 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218191815/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/17_june_1978 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  17. Web site: Referendum 19 September 1981 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218191737/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/19_september_1981 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  18. Web site: Referendum 25 May 1991 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218191646/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/25_may_1991 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.
  19. Web site: Referendum 25 March 1995 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218191601/http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/results/referendums_and_polls/state/25_march_1995 . 2011-02-18 . NSW Electoral Commission.

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