LexisNexis
Click here to discover how changing the Constitution works and where the power to change it comes from. The 7 key stages of a referendum are explained, including calling and holding a referendum and the special requirement that a “double majority” be achieved. The role of the Australian Electoral Commission is also covered.
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Here you will find a curated collection of research and guidance materials on Constitutional law reform and the history of Referendums in Australia. Each category contains material either drawn directly from LexisNexis publications or put together especially for this site by our legal experts and authors.
Constitutional Law 101
Referendum Statistics
In Australia, the Commonwealth Constitution can only be altered by a vote of the people. Since Federation in 1901, there have been 44 referendums held in Australia. Here are some interesting statistics on the history of these events.
The Uluru Statement from the Heart
In May 2017, a constitutional convention brought together over 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders from across Australia. These delegates resolved in favour of the “Uluru Statement from the Heart” calling for the establishment of a First Nations Voice to Parliament in the Commonwealth Constitution. The Uluru Statement is reproduced here in full.
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First Nations legal history in Australia
Indigenous people have lived in Australia for the past 60,000 years. It is now widely recognised that First Nations Australians had an established and sophisticated body of law in place prior to European settlement in 1788. Since the 1960s, Indigenous Australians have taken on an ever-greater role in Australian Constitutional law reform. This timeline recounts some of the most significant events in modern First Nations legal history since Federation.
Referendum myths & misconceptions
Click here to learn more about common myths and misconceptions surrounding Referendums in Australia, including the difference between a plebiscite and a Referendum, and what exactly the 1967 Referendum achieved for First Nations people in Australia.
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