First Federal Referendum

12 December 1906

The only way the Australian Constitution can be changed is by referendum – a direct vote of the Australian people on a specific proposal. This process is described in section 128 of the Constitution. The proposed change requires support of a double majority – a national majority of voters and a majority of voters in a majority of states – to be passed. 

In 1906 Australians voted in their first federal referendum and agreed to change section 13 to allow senators' terms to commence on 1 July instead of 1 January following an election. Voting in the referendum was not compulsory and less than half of all eligible voters cast a ballot, but an overwhelming national majority (82.65%) and a majority of voters in every state approved the change.

At the time it was thought most federal elections would take place in March. The alteration was intended to allow Senate elections to be held alongside House of Representatives elections with new senators only having a short wait to take their place in the Senate. However, most elections have actually been held in the second half of the year. This has resulted in some newly elected senators waiting up to 10 months to enter parliament!