23:
112:
95:
232:
An additional requirement is that any state specifically affected by an amendment must be one of the states with a majority among electors. This additional requirement applies when a change would reduce a state's representation in either house of parliament, alter state boundaries, or otherwise alter
285:
recommended in its final report that the section be altered to allow for State
Parliaments to initiate referendums by passing bills containing proposed changes. Under the proposal, if at least half the states passed bills containing the same amendment within a 12-month period, the Governor-General
273:
to amend the section in 1974, which would have altered the section so that if an equal number of states approved and disapproved of a change; the result would be determined by national majority. That unsuccessful referendum also attempted to allow for voting of those in the territories during
241:
Section 128 makes allowance for inconsistent suffrage rights across the colonies at federation. It provides that any state providing women with the vote shall have only half the votes in that state counted for the referendum. As
Australia's voting laws and suffrage rules are now uniform, this
266:) are counted in determining whether a majority of all electors in Australia approve a change. Electors resident in other territories (called external territories) are able to vote in referendums (as in elections) as voters registered in the Northern Territory or in a state.
213:
The proposed change must then be submitted to
Australian electors for approval. That referendum must occur at least two months after the bill has passed, and at most six months after. Parliament may make laws setting out the procedures for the referendum (e.g. in the
1585:
1635:
1620:
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1575:
1545:
1570:
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1535:
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1397:
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1377:
1367:
1342:
1327:
1317:
1312:
1307:
1297:
1287:
1282:
1272:
1267:
1262:
1257:
1252:
202:
in both houses. If one house passes the bill containing the proposed change while the other refuses, it may attempt to pass the bill again. If the second house again refuses to pass it, the
270:
141:
561:
766:
730:
1630:
684:
1625:
1595:
1615:
1610:
1600:
1590:
1540:
694:
613:
446:
1605:
1565:
1525:
134:
1520:
1510:
1515:
1372:
182:. Its inclusion was influenced also by the Swiss method being present in the constitutions of several U.S. states at the time of federation.
1482:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1457:
1447:
1442:
1437:
1432:
1427:
1412:
1392:
1362:
1357:
1352:
1347:
827:
674:
73:
53:
1497:
1337:
1332:
1322:
1302:
1292:
1277:
1247:
1242:
1237:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
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1177:
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1167:
1162:
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1027:
1022:
1017:
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1007:
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987:
982:
977:
972:
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962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
822:
812:
802:
659:
556:
515:
510:
479:
218:), although all people eligible to vote for the House of Representatives are expressly eligible to vote in referendums by force of s128.
68:
58:
48:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
817:
797:
474:
127:
63:
43:
323:
760:
720:
689:
679:
669:
664:
251:
1660:
628:
582:
756:
751:
530:
439:
362:
771:
746:
484:
255:
229:
being carried among electors in a majority of states, and (2) a majority of electors nationally (including territories).
623:
190:
Section 128 stipulates that the constitution may only be amended by referendum, and describes the referendum process.
608:
413:
99:
432:
286:
would be obliged to put the proposal to referendum. The
Commission also recommended against the introduction of an
282:
598:
525:
203:
263:
198:
A bill containing the change must be passed by the
Commonwealth parliament. This bill must be passed by an
715:
776:
179:
710:
455:
377:
303:
159:
27:
654:
638:
168:
258:. Electors in territories which can be represented in the House of Representatives (currently the
618:
546:
469:
390:
207:
781:
603:
577:
299:
178:
The amendment by referendum method described in the section was modelled on provisions in the
520:
505:
331:
8:
725:
287:
259:
154:
Chapter of the
Australian Constitution establishing process for amendment by referendum
807:
551:
489:
409:
358:
278:
116:
222:
199:
1654:
633:
424:
210:
of the Prime
Minister) may still submit the proposed change for referendum.
22:
357:(5 ed.). Leichhardt (Sydney): Federation Press. pp. 1340–1369.
291:
298:) reasoning that it would be at odds with the Australian traditions of
295:
172:
274:
elections; an issue address in the aforementioned 1977 referendum.
226:
355:
233:
constitutional provisions specifically in relation to that state.
94:
324:"The Parliament as Partner: A Century of Constitutional Review"
475:
511:
403:
346:
408:. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.
731:
Australian Constitution (Public Record Copy) Act 1990
397:
552:
Chapter III of the constitution of Australia: Courts
254:, allowing for the participation of electors in the
767:
2017–18 Australian parliamentary eligibility crisis
352:
1652:
315:
454:
440:
406:Final Report of the Constitutional Commission
328:Parliament of Australia Parliamentary Library
135:
353:Blackshield, Tony; Williams, George (2010).
79:Chapter VIII: Alteration of the Constitution
557:Section 75 of the Constitution of Australia
516:Section 61 of the Constitution of Australia
480:Section 51 of the Constitution of Australia
1556:(xviii) Copyrights, patents and trademarks
624:Implied freedom of political communication
447:
433:
391:Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984
216:Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984
142:
128:
236:
721:Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942
321:
1653:
1521:(v) Post and telegraph (communication)
782:Separatist movements within Australia
629:Implied immunity of instrumentalities
428:
833:VIII: Alteration of the Constitution
772:List of proposed states of Australia
225:is achieved. This consists of (1) a
49:Chapter II: The Executive Government
1616:(xxxv) Conciliation and arbitration
747:Constitutional history of Australia
322:Saunders, Cheryl (15 August 2000).
13:
404:Constitutional Commission (1988).
14:
1672:
1511:(i) Interstate trade and commerce
110:
93:
21:
1561:(xix) Naturalization and aliens
250:Section 128 was amended in the
1611:(xxxi) Acquisition of property
383:
371:
193:
1:
1661:Australian constitutional law
599:Australian Constitutional Law
309:
245:
221:A referendum will succeed if
59:Chapter IV: Finance and Trade
803:II: The Executive Government
264:Australian Capital Territory
36:Chapters of the Constitution
7:
716:Statute of Westminster 1931
695:Retirement of judges (1977)
54:Chapter III: The Judicature
10:
1677:
777:Republicanism in Australia
757:Constitutional Conventions
614:Constitutional conventions
185:
180:Swiss Federal Constitution
74:Chapter VII: Miscellaneous
1496:
848:
841:
790:
739:
711:Constitution of Australia
703:
647:
634:Reserve power (sovereign)
591:
570:
539:
531:Federal Executive Council
498:
462:
456:Constitution of Australia
378:Constitution of Australia
304:representative government
283:Constitutional Commission
169:constitutional referendum
160:Constitution of Australia
100:Constitution of Australia
44:Chapter I: The Parliament
29:Constitution of Australia
1586:(xxiiiA) Social security
485:House of Representatives
87:Text of the Constitution
1601:(xxix) External affairs
685:Casual vacancies (1977)
660:Senate elections (1906)
242:provision is obsolete.
1498:Enumerated legislative
675:Social services (1946)
670:2nd State debts (1928)
665:1st State debts (1910)
604:Responsible government
578:Inter-State Commission
300:responsible government
237:Obsolete suffrage rule
167:, which describes the
69:Chapter VI: New States
1606:(xxx) Pacific islands
813:IV: Finance and Trade
639:Reserved State powers
171:process required for
64:Chapter V: The States
704:Constitutional texts
609:Separation of powers
290:system, (as used by
288:elector's initiative
271:unsuccessful attempt
158:Chapter VIII of the
117:Australia portal
1596:(xxvii) Immigration
1500:powers (Section 51)
808:III: The Judicature
206:(presumably on the
1631:(xxxviii) Imperial
1621:(xxxvi) Transition
828:VII: Miscellaneous
726:Australia Act 1986
690:Referendums (1977)
680:Aboriginals (1967)
655:Referendum process
571:Other institutions
562:Boilermakers' Case
334:on 8 December 2006
260:Northern Territory
175:the Constitution.
1648:
1647:
1644:
1643:
1626:(xxxvii) Referral
1566:(xx) Corporations
798:I: The Parliament
463:Legislative power
364:978-1-86287-773-3
200:absolute majority
152:
151:
98:The full text of
1668:
1636:(xxxix) Incident
1581:(xxiii) Pensions
846:
845:
526:Governor-General
449:
442:
435:
426:
425:
420:
419:
401:
395:
387:
381:
375:
369:
368:
350:
344:
343:
341:
339:
330:. Archived from
319:
279:Hawke government
204:Governor-General
144:
137:
130:
119:
115:
114:
113:
97:
30:
25:
18:
17:
1676:
1675:
1671:
1670:
1669:
1667:
1666:
1665:
1651:
1650:
1649:
1640:
1551:(xiv) Insurance
1531:(ix) Quarantine
1499:
1492:
837:
786:
735:
699:
643:
587:
566:
535:
499:Executive power
494:
458:
453:
423:
416:
402:
398:
388:
384:
376:
372:
365:
351:
347:
337:
335:
320:
316:
312:
252:1977 referendum
248:
239:
223:double majority
196:
188:
155:
148:
111:
109:
108:
103:
28:
26:
12:
11:
5:
1674:
1664:
1663:
1646:
1645:
1642:
1641:
1639:
1638:
1633:
1628:
1623:
1618:
1613:
1608:
1603:
1598:
1593:
1588:
1583:
1578:
1576:(xxii) Divorce
1573:
1571:(xxi) Marriage
1568:
1563:
1558:
1553:
1548:
1546:(xiii) Banking
1543:
1541:(xii) Currency
1538:
1533:
1528:
1523:
1518:
1513:
1508:
1504:
1502:
1494:
1493:
1491:
1490:
1485:
1480:
1475:
1470:
1465:
1460:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1420:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1395:
1390:
1385:
1380:
1375:
1370:
1365:
1360:
1355:
1350:
1345:
1340:
1335:
1330:
1325:
1320:
1315:
1310:
1305:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1240:
1235:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1210:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1055:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1010:
1005:
1000:
995:
990:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
855:
849:
843:
839:
838:
836:
835:
830:
825:
823:VI: New States
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
794:
792:
788:
787:
785:
784:
779:
774:
769:
764:
754:
749:
743:
741:
737:
736:
734:
733:
728:
723:
718:
713:
707:
705:
701:
700:
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687:
682:
677:
672:
667:
662:
657:
651:
649:
645:
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636:
631:
626:
621:
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611:
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601:
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593:
589:
588:
586:
585:
580:
574:
572:
568:
567:
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564:
559:
554:
549:
543:
541:
540:Judicial power
537:
536:
534:
533:
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466:
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437:
429:
422:
421:
414:
396:
382:
380:, section 128.
370:
363:
345:
313:
311:
308:
247:
244:
238:
235:
195:
192:
187:
184:
163:contains only
153:
150:
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146:
139:
132:
124:
121:
120:
105:
104:
92:
89:
88:
84:
83:
82:
81:
76:
71:
66:
61:
56:
51:
46:
38:
37:
33:
32:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1673:
1662:
1659:
1658:
1656:
1637:
1634:
1632:
1629:
1627:
1624:
1622:
1619:
1617:
1614:
1612:
1609:
1607:
1604:
1602:
1599:
1597:
1594:
1592:
1589:
1587:
1584:
1582:
1579:
1577:
1574:
1572:
1569:
1567:
1564:
1562:
1559:
1557:
1554:
1552:
1549:
1547:
1544:
1542:
1539:
1537:
1536:(x) Fisheries
1534:
1532:
1529:
1527:
1524:
1522:
1519:
1517:
1516:(ii) Taxation
1514:
1512:
1509:
1506:
1505:
1503:
1501:
1495:
1489:
1486:
1484:
1481:
1479:
1476:
1474:
1471:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1459:
1456:
1454:
1451:
1449:
1446:
1444:
1441:
1439:
1436:
1434:
1431:
1429:
1426:
1424:
1421:
1419:
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1414:
1411:
1409:
1406:
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1401:
1399:
1396:
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1386:
1384:
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1379:
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1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1351:
1349:
1346:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1326:
1324:
1321:
1319:
1316:
1314:
1311:
1309:
1306:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
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1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1249:
1246:
1244:
1241:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
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854:
851:
850:
847:
844:
840:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
818:V: The States
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
795:
793:
789:
783:
780:
778:
775:
773:
770:
768:
765:
762:
758:
755:
753:
752:The Dismissal
750:
748:
745:
744:
742:
738:
732:
729:
727:
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
708:
706:
702:
696:
693:
691:
688:
686:
683:
681:
678:
676:
673:
671:
668:
666:
663:
661:
658:
656:
653:
652:
650:
646:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
625:
622:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
602:
600:
597:
596:
594:
590:
584:
583:Privy Council
581:
579:
576:
575:
573:
569:
563:
560:
558:
555:
553:
550:
548:
545:
544:
542:
538:
532:
529:
527:
524:
522:
519:
517:
514:
512:
509:
507:
504:
503:
501:
497:
491:
488:
486:
483:
481:
478:
476:
473:
471:
468:
467:
465:
461:
457:
450:
445:
443:
438:
436:
431:
430:
427:
417:
415:0-644-06901-5
411:
407:
400:
393:
392:
386:
379:
374:
366:
360:
356:
349:
333:
329:
325:
318:
314:
307:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
284:
280:
275:
272:
269:There was an
267:
265:
261:
257:
253:
243:
234:
230:
228:
224:
219:
217:
211:
209:
205:
201:
191:
183:
181:
176:
174:
170:
166:
162:
161:
145:
140:
138:
133:
131:
126:
125:
123:
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107:
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102:at Wikisource
101:
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34:
31:
24:
20:
19:
16:
1526:(vi) Defence
1487:
832:
740:Other topics
405:
399:
389:
385:
373:
354:
348:
336:. Retrieved
332:the original
327:
317:
294:and several
276:
268:
249:
240:
231:
220:
215:
212:
197:
189:
177:
164:
157:
156:
78:
15:
1591:(xxvi) Race
338:14 December
292:Switzerland
256:territories
194:The process
165:section 128
842:By section
791:By chapter
648:Amendments
619:Federalism
547:High Court
470:Parliament
310:References
246:Amendments
1507:Powers of
592:Doctrines
296:US States
1655:Category
521:Monarchy
262:and the
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173:amending
506:Cabinet
186:Summary
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394:(Cth).
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208:advice
1373:105A
761:1998
410:ISBN
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340:2006
302:and
277:The
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