Hold a referendum

Getting Started

• Use the Australian Electoral Commission’s Alteration process fact sheet to review the referendum process. 
• View the Changing the Australian Constitution double majority graphic in the teacher toolkit to view the required results to change the Constitution.
• Choose a question for your referendum. You may like to use one from a previous referendum – such as religious freedom or fixed parliamentary terms – or write your own question on a topical issue – such as press freedom or a Bill of Rights. 

Activity (75 minutes)

1. Divide the class into an even number of small groups of 3 to 4 students and assign each group to research either the ‘YES’ or the ‘NO’ case for the question the class has chosen. Ensure you have the same number of ‘YES’ and ‘NO’ groups.
2. Give the students time to research the question and put together their case.
3. Combine each ‘YES’ group with a ‘NO’ group and ask them to write a pamphlet that presents each case equally. You may like to use the 2023 Referendum YES/NO pamphlet [PDF, 13 pages] or the 1999 Referendum YES/NO pamphlet as examples. The length of the pamphlet will depend on the year level of the class and the time available.
4. Share the pamphlets among the class so each student has a chance to understand the arguments and consider the question carefully.
5. Divide the class into 3 groups to vote, assigning each group a colour. These will be the states and – just like the real states – each will have a different population.
   • Yellow – more than half the students
   • Red – 2 to 3 students
   • Blue – remaining students.
6. Use the ballot paper template to make your own ballot papers or give each student a slip of coloured paper and write the question on the board.
7. Students vote by writing either ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ on their ballot paper. Keep the ballot papers for each state group separate.
8. Count the votes, one state group at a time, with 2 students (scrutineers) checking the count.
9. Using the voting table, tally the number of ‘YES’ and ‘NO’ votes for each state group.
10. Determine the YES/NO result for each state group AND for the class as a whole. For your referendum to be successful you need at least 2 out of 3 state groups to vote yes, as well as a majority of the class—this is the double majority. A tied vote is a no.

Discussion questions

• Was your referendum successful? Why or why not?
• In Australia’s history, only 8 of 45 proposed changes to the Constitution have been agreed to. Why do you think most referendums have been unsuccessful?
• Do you think there should there be another way to change Australia’s Constitution? If so, what should it be?

Extension

Review a past successful Australian referendum and analyse the reasons for its success. You can find information on past referendums in the Australian Electoral Commission's Constitutional referendums brochure [PDF, 4 pages] and on the Referendum dates and results page.

• Australian Constitution
• Elections and voting
• Years 9+10