Australian referendum, 1988 (Fair Elections)

The 1988 Australian Referendum was held on 3 September, 1988. It contained four referendum questions, none of which passed. The failure was generally attributed to the open ended and nondescriptive wording of the proposed amendments.

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.

Question and 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?

Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 3,217,670 votes. Not carried.

Constitution Alteration (Fair Elections) 1988 proposed to enshrine in the Constitution of Australia a guarantee that all Commonwealth, State and Territory elections would be conducted democratically. The question was put to a referendum in the Australian referendum, 1988. The main aim of the question was to enshrine the One vote, one value principle in the Constitution.

This referendum question came about due to the widespread malapportionment and gerrymandering which was endemic during Joh Bjelke-Petersen's term as the Queensland Premier. It was opposed by both the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia.

Question and Results

A proposed law: is to alter the Constitution to provide for fair and democratic parliamentary elections throughout Australia.

Do you approve this proposed alteration?

Obtained majority in no State and an overall minority of 2,335,741 votes. Not carried.

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