The Constitution Alteration (Industrial Matters) Bill 1912, was an unsuccessful referendum held in 1913 that sought to alter the Australian Constitution to give the Commonwealth legislative power in respect to industrial matters.
Issues
Question Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled 'Constitution Alteration (Industrial Matters) 1912'?
Proposed Changes to the Constitution The proposal was to alter the text of section 51 of the Constitution to read as follows:. 51. The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have Legislative power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to: (xxxv.) Conciliation and arbitration for the prevention and settlement of industrial disputes extending beyond the limits of any one State: Labour, and employment, and unemployment, including- (a) the terms and conditions of labour and employment in any trade, industry, occupation, or calling; (b) the rights and obligations of employers and employés; (c) strikes and lockouts; (d) the maintenance of industrial peace; and (e) the settlement of industrial disputes.
Results
+ Result State Electoral roll Ballots issued For Against Informal Vote % Vote % New South Wales 1,036,187 717,855 318,622 46.88 361,044
36,933 Victoria 830,391 626,861 297,892 49.02 309,804
18,837 Queensland 363,082 280,525 147,171
123,554 45.64 9,579 South Australia 244,026 195,463 96,626
91,361 48.60 7,259 Western Australia 179,784 132,149 66,451
59,612 47.29 5,753 Tasmania 106,746 80,398 34,839 45.20 42,236
3,197 Total for Commonwealth 2,760,216 2,033,251 961,601 49.33 987,611
81,558 Results Obtained majority in three states and an overall minority of 26,010 votes. Not carried
Discussion The 1911 referendum asked a single question that dealt with trade and commerce, corporations and industrial matters. This resolution separated each of those matters into a different question. Like its forebear, none of these resolutions were carried. On each of the many occasions a similar question was asked at a referendum the public decided not to vest power in the Commonwealth over these matters.
1911 referendum on trade and commerce
See also Politics of Australia History of Australia
References
Further reading Standing Committee on Legislative and Constitutional Affairs (1997) Constitutional Change: Select sources on Constitutional change in Australia 1901–1997 . Australian Government Printing Service, Canberra. Bennett, Scott (2003). Research Paper no. 11 2002–03: The Politics of Constitutional Amendment Australian Department of the Parliamentary Library, Canberra. Australian Electoral Commission (2007) Referendum Dates and Results 1906 – Present AEC, Canberra.