Section 42 of the Australian Constitution limited the government's power to make laws with respect to the organised marketing of primary products. Constitution Alteration (Organised Marketing of Primary Products) 1946 sought to remove these restrictions. The question was put to a referendum in the Australian referendum, 1946.
Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled "Constitution Alteration (Organised Marketing of Primary Products) 1946"?
| State | On
rolls |
Ballots
issued |
For | Against | Informal | ||
| % | % | ||||||
| New South Wales | 1,858,749 | 1,757,150 | 855,233 | %51.83 | 794,852 | %48.17 | 107,065 |
| Victoria | 1,345,537 | 1,261,374 | 624,343 | %52.37 | 567,860 | %47.63 | 69,171 |
| Queensland | 660,316 | 612,170 | 251,672 | %43.74 | 323,678 | %56.26 | 36,820 |
| South Australia | 420,361 | 399,301 | 183,674 | %48.74 | 193,201 | %51.26 | 22,426 |
| Western Australia | 300,337 | 279,066 | 145,781 | %56.21 | 113,562 | %43.79 | 19,723 |
| Tasmania | 154,553 | 144,880 | 55,561 | %42.55 | 75,018 | %57.45 | 14,301 |
| Armed Forces* | 37,021 | 19,924 | %53.81 | 15,997 | %43.21 | 986 | |
| Total for Commonwealth | 4,739,853 | 4,453,941 | 2,116,264 | %50.57 | 2,068,171 | %49.43 | 269,506 |
| Obtained majority in three States and an overall
majority of 48,093 votes. |
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| Not
carried |
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* Armed forces totals are also included in their respective states.
This was one of the few occasions when an overall national majority was evident, albeit by a small margin, but no state majority was reached resulting in the referendum being not carried.
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