The Constitution Alteration (Nationalization of Monopolies) 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 monopolies.
Issues
Question Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled 'Constitution Alteration (Nationalization of Monopolies) 1912'?
Proposed Changes to the Constitution The proposal was to alter the text of section 51 of the Constitution to read as follows:. (substituted text in bold) 51a. (1) When each House of the Parliament, in the same session, has by resolution, passed by an absolute majority of its members, declared that the industry or business of producing, manufacturing, or supplying any specified services, is the subject of a monopoly, the Parliament shall have power to make laws for carrying on the industry or business by or under the control of the Commonwealth, and acquiring for that purpose on just terms any property used in connexion with the industry or business. (2) This section shall not apply to any industry or business conducted or carried on by the Government of a State or any public authority constituted under a State.
Results The referendum was not approved by a majority of voters, and a majority of the voters was achieved in only three states.
+ Result State Electoral roll Ballots issued For Against Informal Vote % Vote % New South Wales 1,036,187 717,855 301,192 46.85 341,724
73,683 Victoria 830,391 626,861 287,379 49.07 298,326
40,828 Queensland 363,082 280,525 139,019
117,609 45.83 23,676 South Australia 244,026 195,463 91,411
86,915 48.74 16,920 Western Australia 179,784 132,149 64,988
57,184 46.81 9,644 Tasmania 106,746 80,398 33,176 45.22 40,189
6,907 Total for Commonwealth 2,760,216 2,033,251 917,165 49.33 941,947
171,658 Results Obtained majority in three states and an overall minority of 24,782 votes. Not carried
Discussion The 1911 referendum asked a single question that dealt with the acquisition of monopolies. This resolution separated laws in relation to monopolies and the acquisition of monopolies into different questions. Like its forebear, neither resolution was 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 monopolies
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.