A referendum concerning the closing hour for licensed premises and registered clubs was put to voters in New South Wales on 13 November 1954.
Background Six o'clock closing was introduced in New South Wales during the First World War following the 1916 referendum. The 1916 vote was influenced by a recent riot involving drunken soldiers. In February 1916, troops mutinied against conditions at the Casula Camp. They raided hotels in Liverpool before travelling by train to Sydney, where one soldier was shot dead in a riot at Central Railway station. Although it was introduced as a temporary measure, the government brought in extensions and discussed putting the matter to a referendum. In 1923, however, without testing the matter by a popular vote, the Fuller Nationalist government enacted 6 pm as the closing time.
The question The voting paper was: (NSW). The elector shall indicate his vote by placing the number "1" in the square opposite the closing hour for which he desires to give his first preference vote, and the number "2" in the remaining square. Order of Preference Closing hour Six o'clock Ten o'clock
Results The referendum was narrowly in favour of 10:00 pm closing time.
+ Result Question Votes % What should be the closinghour of licensed premises 6:00 pm 892,740 49.73 10:00 pm 902,532 Total formal votes 1,795,272 97.72 Informal votes 41,794 2.28 TurnoutEstimate based on a roll of 1,953,953 at the 1953 state election: 1,837,066 94.02
Aftermath This was the third of three referendums concerning the closing hour for licensed premises and clubs.
See also Referendums in New South Wales
References