The Australian referendum of 12 December 1906 approved an amendment to the Australian constitution related to the terms of office of federal senators. Technically it was a vote on the Constitution Alteration (Senate Elections) Bill 1906, which after being approved in the referendum received the royal assent on 3 April 1907.[1] The amendment moved the date of the beginning of the term of members of the Senate from 1 January to 1 July so that elections to the federal House of Representatives and the Senate could occur simultaneously.
1906 Australian Senate Elections referendum
12 December 1906 (1906-12-12)
Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled — "Constitution Alteration (Senate Elections) 1906" ?
Results
Choice
Votes
%
Yes
774,011
82.65%
No
162,470
17.35%
Valid votes
936,481
89.30%
Invalid or blank votes
112,155
10.70%
Total votes
1,048,636
100.00%
Registered voters/turnout
2,109,562
49.71%
The 1906 vote was the first referendum ever held in the Commonwealth of Australia and concerned the first amendment proposed to the constitution since its enactment. The referendum was held in conjunction with the 1906 federal election.
Prior to the amendment the constitution provided, in section 13, that Senate term would begin on 1 January and end on 31 December. By 1906 it was felt to be unlikely that Senate terms would generally coincide with House of Representatives terms, and that for this reason a change would be beneficial. The proposed amendment provided for Senate terms to begin on 1 July and end on 30 June. Odger's Australian Senate Practice noted that the main reason for the change was to enable simultaneous elections to be held in March, which at the time was considered the most likely period in which Federal elections would be held.[2] The amendment was uncontroversial, dealing with the mechanical matter of how to rotate Senate terms, and Robert Menzies later observed that
as the average voter ... does not care how frequently a Senator rotates, the amendment was carried.[3]
Although the amendment has not hindered the holding of simultaneous elections, it has had one unintended consequence.[4] Because two-thirds of Commonwealth elections have been held in the months between September and December, there have been numerous instances of incoming Senators being required to wait many months before taking their seats. Those elected on 3 October 1998, for instance, were required to wait 270 days before doing so, and those elected on 21 August 2010 were required to wait 314 days before doing so.
Referendum resultsedit
Question:Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled 'Constitution Alteration (Senate Elections) 1906'?
Obtained majority in all 6 States and an overall majority of 581,541 votes.Carried.
Changes to the text of the constitutionedit
Section 13 - (removed text stricken through; substituted text in bold):[7]
As soon as may be after the Senate first meets and after each first meeting of the Senate following a dissolution thereof, the Senate shall divide the senators chosen for each State into two classes, as nearly equal in number as practicable and the places of the senators of the first class shall become vacant at the expiration of the third yearthree years, and the places of those of the second class at the expiration of the sixth yearsix years, from the beginning of their term of service and afterwards the places of senators shall be vacant at the expiration of six years from the beginning of their term of service.
The election to fill vacant places shall be made in the year at the expiration of whichwithin one year before the places are to become vacant.
For the purpose of this section the term of service of a senator shall be taken to begin on the first day of JanuaryJuly following the day of his election, except in the cases of the first election and of the election next after any dissolution of the Senate, when it shall be taken to begin on the first day of JanuaryJuly preceding the day of his election.
^"Constitution Alteration (Senate Elections) Act 1906". Retrieved 22 April 2019 – via legislation.gov.au.
^Odgers, J.R. (1991) Australian Senate Practice (6th Ed.), Royal Australian Institute of Public Administration, Canberra. p. 22
^Menzies, R (1967). Central Power in the Australian Commonwealth. An examination of the growth of Commonwealth power in the Australian Federation. London: Casswell. p. 14. OCLC 953109626..
^Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs (24 March 1997). "Part 2 - History of Australian Referendums" (PDF). Select sources on constitutional change in Australia 1901-1997. Commonwealth of Australia. ISBN0644484101.
^"Result of the Referendum". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. 11. 16 February 1907. p. 502 – via www.legislation.gov.au.
^"Notification of the receipt of a Writ for a Referendum". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. 58. 24 October 1906. pp. 1277–8 – via www.legislation.gov.au..
Further readingedit
Bennett, Scott (2003). "Research Paper no. 11 2002–03: The Politics of Constitutional Amendment". Canberra: Parliamentary Library of Australia..
Australian Electoral Commission (2007) Referendum Dates and Results 1906 – Present AEC, Canberra.
1906, australian, senate, elections, referendum, australian, referendum, december, 1906, approved, amendment, australian, constitution, related, terms, office, federal, senators, technically, vote, constitution, alteration, senate, elections, bill, 1906, which. The Australian referendum of 12 December 1906 approved an amendment to the Australian constitution related to the terms of office of federal senators Technically it was a vote on the Constitution Alteration Senate Elections Bill 1906 which after being approved in the referendum received the royal assent on 3 April 1907 1 The amendment moved the date of the beginning of the term of members of the Senate from 1 January to 1 July so that elections to the federal House of Representatives and the Senate could occur simultaneously 1906 Australian Senate Elections referendum12 December 1906 1906 12 12 Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled Constitution Alteration Senate Elections 1906 ResultsChoice Votes Yes 774 011 82 65 No 162 470 17 35 Valid votes 936 481 89 30 Invalid or blank votes 112 155 10 70 Total votes 1 048 636 100 00 Registered voters turnout 2 109 562 49 71 The 1906 vote was the first referendum ever held in the Commonwealth of Australia and concerned the first amendment proposed to the constitution since its enactment The referendum was held in conjunction with the 1906 federal election Contents 1 Overview 2 Referendum results 3 Changes to the text of the constitution 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingOverview editPrior to the amendment the constitution provided in section 13 that Senate term would begin on 1 January and end on 31 December By 1906 it was felt to be unlikely that Senate terms would generally coincide with House of Representatives terms and that for this reason a change would be beneficial The proposed amendment provided for Senate terms to begin on 1 July and end on 30 June Odger s Australian Senate Practice noted that the main reason for the change was to enable simultaneous elections to be held in March which at the time was considered the most likely period in which Federal elections would be held 2 The amendment was uncontroversial dealing with the mechanical matter of how to rotate Senate terms and Robert Menzies later observed that as the average voter does not care how frequently a Senator rotates the amendment was carried 3 Although the amendment has not hindered the holding of simultaneous elections it has had one unintended consequence 4 Because two thirds of Commonwealth elections have been held in the months between September and December there have been numerous instances of incoming Senators being required to wait many months before taking their seats Those elected on 3 October 1998 for instance were required to wait 270 days before doing so and those elected on 21 August 2010 were required to wait 314 days before doing so Referendum results editQuestion Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled Constitution Alteration Senate Elections 1906 Result 5 6 State Electoral roll Ballots issued For Against Informal Vote Vote New South Wales 737 599 381 019 286 888 83 85 55 261 16 15 37 929 Victoria 672 054 380 953 282 739 83 10 57 487 16 90 38 936 Queensland 271 109 124 352 81 295 76 84 24 502 23 16 15 325 South Australia 193 118 70 479 54 297 86 99 8 121 13 01 7 892 Western Australia 145 473 52 712 34 736 78 93 9 274 21 07 6 312 Tasmania 90 209 48 792 34 056 81 32 7 825 18 68 5 761 Total for Commonwealth 2 109 562 1 058 277 744 011 82 65 162 470 17 35 112 155 Results Obtained majority in all 6 States and an overall majority of 581 541 votes Carried Changes to the text of the constitution editSection 13 removed text stricken through substituted text in bold 7 As soon as may be after the Senate first meets and after each first meeting of the Senate following a dissolution thereof the Senate shall divide the senators chosen for each State into two classes as nearly equal in number as practicable and the places of the senators of the first class shall become vacant at the expiration of the third year three years and the places of those of the second class at the expiration of the sixth year six years from the beginning of their term of service and afterwards the places of senators shall be vacant at the expiration of six years from the beginning of their term of service dd The election to fill vacant places shall be made in the year at the expiration of which within one year before the places are to become vacant dd For the purpose of this section the term of service of a senator shall be taken to begin on the first day of January July following the day of his election except in the cases of the first election and of the election next after any dissolution of the Senate when it shall be taken to begin on the first day of January July preceding the day of his election dd See also editReferendums in Australia Politics of Australia History of AustraliaReferences edit Constitution Alteration Senate Elections Act 1906 Retrieved 22 April 2019 via legislation gov au Odgers J R 1991 Australian Senate Practice 6th Ed Royal Australian Institute of Public Administration Canberra p 22 Menzies R 1967 Central Power in the Australian Commonwealth An examination of the growth of Commonwealth power in the Australian Federation London Casswell p 14 OCLC 953109626 Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs 24 March 1997 Part 2 History of Australian Referendums PDF Select sources on constitutional change in Australia 1901 1997 Commonwealth of Australia ISBN 0644484101 Result of the Referendum Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 11 16 February 1907 p 502 via www legislation gov au Handbook of the 44th Parliament 2014 Part 5 Referendums and Plebiscites Referendum results Parliamentary Library of Australia Notification of the receipt of a Writ for a Referendum Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 58 24 October 1906 pp 1277 8 via www legislation gov au Further reading editBennett Scott 2003 Research Paper no 11 2002 03 The Politics of Constitutional Amendment Canberra Parliamentary Library of Australia Australian Electoral Commission 2007 Referendum Dates and Results 1906 Present AEC Canberra Amendments to the Constitution of Australia Commonwealth of AustraliaConstitution Act 1900 Senate Elections amendment1907 2nd amendment1st State Debts amendment 1910 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1906 Australian senate elections referendum amp oldid 1219901389, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
