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1984 Australian referendum (Terms of Senators)

Unsuccessful referendum

Field	Value
name	Australian Senator Terms referendum, 1984
title	An Act to change the terms of senators so that they are no longer of fixed duration and to provide that Senate elections and House of Representatives elections are always held on the same day.
Do you approve of this proposed alteration?
date
country	Australia
yes	4,473,715
no	4,361,504
invalid	443,825
electorate	9,866,266
outcome	Amendment Failed
map	{{Switcher
mapdivision	state, and division
notes	Note: Saturation of colour denotes strength of vote.

Do you approve of this proposed alteration? | [[File:1984 Australian Senator Terms referendum - State majorities.svg|250px]] | Results by state | [[File:1984 Australian referendum (Terms of Senators) results by division.svg|250px]] | Results by federal electoral division The Constitution Alteration (Terms of Senators) Bill 1984, was the third unsuccessful proposal to alter the Australian Constitution to require that Senate of Australia and House of Representatives elections be constitutionally enforced to occur on the same day. It was put to voters for approval in a referendum held on 1 December 1984.

This was the first referendum in which the electors in the territories were counted towards the national total (but not counted toward any state total) following the 1977 Australian referendum (Referendums) which enabled this.

Background

A proposal for simultaneous elections had been unsuccessful at the referendum in 1974 and substantially the same proposal was again unsuccessful at the referendum in 1977. One of the criticisms of these proposals was that despite the title, the proposal did not require simultaneous elections and the real change which was so that the terms of Senators would be two terms of the House of Representatives. This proposal was similar, however, it was expressly named in relation to the terms of senators.

Yes case

The yes case was that there were too many elections and the proposal would decrease the number of elections.

No case

The no case was that the proposal was unnecessary. If the government wanted fewer elections, the House of Representatives could run its full term and the elections would be held at the same time. The proposal was an attempt to undermine the independence of the senate.

Results

An Act to change the terms of senators so that they are no longer of fixed duration and to provide that Senate elections and House of Representatives elections are always held on the same day.

Do you approve this proposed alteration?

State	Electoral roll	Ballots issued	For	Against	Informal	Vote
3,423,624	3,216,256	1,621,894	1,446,150	47.14	148,212
2,617,291	2,475,891	1,244,451	1,094,760	46.80	136,680
1,549,749	1,447,284	642,768	45.65	765,329	39,187
908,424	856,226	398,127	49.98	398,463	59,636
858,763	806,637	358,502	46.47	412,996	35,139
289,142	277,100	102,762	39.29	158,777	15,561
150,416	140,982	76,901	56.68	58,764	43.32	5,317
68,857	58,668	28,310	51.87	26,265	48.13	4,093
9,866,266	9,279,044	4,473,715	4,361,504	49.36	443,825
Obtained a majority in two states and an overall majority of 112,211 votes. Not carried

Discussion

This was the third unsuccessful referendum that sought to require simultaneous elections of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

References

{{url. https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/legislation/billshistorical/HBILL198384V300039/upload_binary/039%20-%20CONSTITUTION%20ALTERATION%20(TERMS%20OF%20SENATORS)%20Bill%201984.pdf. ''Constitution Alteration (Terms of Senators) Bill'' 1984 (Cth).
(15 November 1973). "Elections move: Title of bill a fraud: Snedden". [[The Canberra Times]].
Information and Research Service. (29 June 1984). "Bills Digest 1984: Constitution Alteration (Simultaneous Elections) 1984". Parliamentary Library.
Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. (24 March 1997). "Select sources on constitutional change in Australia 1901-1997". Commonwealth of Australia.

Info: Wikipedia Source

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