Australian referendum, 1988 (Parliamentary Terms)
Constitution Alteration (Parliamentary Terms) 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.
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?
| State | On rolls | Ballots issued | Yes  |
% | No  |
% | Informal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 3,564,856 | 3,297,246 | 1,032,621 | 31.66% | 2,228,503 | 68.34% | 36,122 |
| Victoria | 2,697,096 | 2,491,183 | 886,128 | 36.20% | 1,561,759 | 63.80% | 43,296 |
| Queensland | 1,693,247 | 1,542,293 | 538,779 | 35.15% | 993,822 | 64.85% | 9,692 |
| South Australia | 937,974 | 873,511 | 229,938 | 26.76% | 629,454 | 73.24% | 14,119 |
| Western Australia | 926,636 | 845,209 | 255,556 | 30.67% | 577,555 | 69.33% | 12,098 |
| Tasmania | 302,324 | 282,785 | 70,698 | 25.34% | 208,297 | 74.66% | 3,790 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 166,131 | 149,128 | 64,458 | 43.62% | 83,328 | 56.38% | 1,342 |
| Northern Territory | 74,695 | 56,370 | 21,092 | 38.13% | 34,222 | 61.87% | 1,056 |
| Total for Commonwealth | 10,362,959 | 9,537,725 | 3,099,270 | 32.91% | 6,316,940 | 67.09% | 121,515 |
Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 3 217 670 votes. Not carried.
Discussion
This proposal was arguably the biggest proposed change in actual political process that has been raised in a referendum, with the possible exception of the Republic Referendum of 1999 which proposed a rather minimal actual change. The clear 'No' vote on this issue clearly demonstrated that the voters were unconvinced by any major change in the political process.
See also
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