Referendum on proposed amendments to the Constitution of Australia
The 1988 Australian referendum was held on 3 September 1988. It contained four referendum questions, none of which passed.
Results in detail
Parliamentary Terms
- This section is an excerpt from 1988 Australian referendum (Parliamentary Terms) § Result
Result [1]
State
|
Electoral roll
|
Ballots issued
|
For
|
Against
|
Informal
|
Vote
|
%
|
Vote
|
%
|
New South Wales
|
3,564,856
|
3,297,246
|
1,032,621
|
31.66
|
2,228,503
|
68.34
|
36,122
|
Victoria
|
2,697,096
|
2,491,183
|
886,128
|
36.20
|
1,561,759
|
63.80
|
43,296
|
Queensland
|
1,693,247
|
1,552,293
|
542,414
|
35.15
|
1,000,124
|
64.84
|
9,755
|
South Australia
|
937,974
|
873,511
|
229,938
|
26.76
|
629,454
|
73.24
|
14,119
|
Western Australia
|
926,636
|
845,209
|
255,556
|
30.67
|
577,555
|
69.33
|
12,098
|
Tasmania
|
302,324
|
282,785
|
70,698
|
25.34
|
208,297
|
74.66
|
3,790
|
Australian Capital Territory [2]
|
166,131
|
149,128
|
64,458
|
43.62
|
83,328
|
56.38
|
1,342
|
Northern Territory [2]
|
74,695
|
56,370
|
21,092
|
38.13
|
34,222
|
61.87
|
1,056
|
Total for Commonwealth
|
10,362,959
|
9,537,725
|
3,099,270
|
32.91
|
6,316,940
|
67.09
|
121,515
|
Results
|
Obtained a majority in no state and an overall minority of 3,217,670 votes. Not carried
|
Fair Elections
- This section is an excerpt from 1988 Australian referendum (Fair Elections) § Results
Result [1][3]
State
|
Electoral roll
|
Ballots issued
|
For
|
Against
|
Informal
|
Vote
|
%
|
Vote
|
%
|
New South Wales
|
3,564,856
|
3,297,246
|
1,159,713
|
35.57
|
2,100,604
|
64.43
|
36,929
|
Victoria
|
2,697,096
|
2,491,183
|
981,508
|
40.12
|
1,465,119
|
59.88
|
44,556
|
Queensland
|
1,693,247
|
1,552,293
|
691,492
|
44.83
|
850,979
|
55.17
|
9,822
|
South Australia
|
937,974
|
873,511
|
263,006
|
30.61
|
596,102
|
69.39
|
14,403
|
Western Australia
|
926,636
|
845,209
|
266,639
|
32.02
|
566,145
|
67.98
|
12,425
|
Tasmania
|
302,324
|
282,785
|
80,608
|
28.89
|
198,372
|
71.11
|
3,805
|
Australian Capital Territory [2]
|
166,131
|
149,128
|
76,815
|
51.99
|
70,937
|
48.01
|
1,376
|
Northern Territory [2]
|
74,695
|
56,370
|
23,763
|
42.99
|
31,512
|
57.01
|
1,095
|
Total for Commonwealth
|
10,362,959
|
9,537,725
|
3,538,817
|
37.59
|
5,874,558
|
62.41
|
124,350
|
Results
|
Obtained a majority in no state and an overall minority of 2,335,741 votes. Not carried
|
Local Government
- This section is an excerpt from 1988 Australian referendum (Local Government) § Results
Result [1][4]
State
|
Electoral roll
|
Ballots issued
|
For
|
Against
|
Informal
|
Vote
|
%
|
Vote
|
%
|
New South Wales
|
3,564,856
|
3,297,246
|
1,033,364
|
31.70
|
2,226,529
|
68.30
|
37,353
|
Victoria
|
2,697,096
|
2,491,183
|
882,020
|
36.06
|
1,563,957
|
63.94
|
45,206
|
Queensland
|
1,693,247
|
1,552,293
|
590,868
|
38.31
|
951,332
|
61.69
|
10,093
|
South Australia
|
937,974
|
873,511
|
256,421
|
29.85
|
602,499
|
70.15
|
14,591
|
Western Australia
|
926,636
|
845,209
|
247,830
|
29.76
|
584,863
|
70.24
|
12,516
|
Tasmania
|
302,324
|
282,785
|
76,707
|
27.50
|
202,214
|
72.50
|
3,864
|
Australian Capital Territory [2]
|
166,131
|
149,128
|
58,755
|
39.78
|
88,945
|
60.22
|
1,428
|
Northern Territory [2]
|
74,695
|
56,370
|
21,449
|
38.80
|
33,826
|
61.20
|
1,095
|
Total for Commonwealth
|
10,362,959
|
9,537,725
|
3,163,488
|
33.61
|
6,248,166
|
66.39
|
126,071
|
Results
|
Obtained a majority in no state and an overall minority of 2,335,741 votes. Not carried
|
Rights and Freedoms
- This section is an excerpt from 1988 Australian referendum (Rights and Freedoms) § Results
Result [1][5]
State
|
Electoral roll
|
Ballots issued
|
For
|
Against
|
Informal
|
Vote
|
%
|
Vote
|
%
|
New South Wales
|
3,564,856
|
3,297,246
|
965,045
|
29.65
|
2,289,645
|
70.35
|
42,556
|
Victoria
|
2,697,096
|
2,491,183
|
816,057
|
33.42
|
1,625,484
|
66.58
|
49,642
|
Queensland
|
1,693,247
|
1,552,293
|
506,710
|
32.90
|
1,033,645
|
67.10
|
11,938
|
South Australia
|
937,974
|
873,511
|
223,038
|
26.01
|
634,438
|
73.99
|
16,035
|
Western Australia
|
926,636
|
845,209
|
233,917
|
28.14
|
597,322
|
71.86
|
13,970
|
Tasmania
|
302,324
|
282,785
|
70,987
|
25.49
|
207,486
|
74.51
|
4,312
|
Australian Capital Territory [2]
|
166,131
|
149,128
|
60,064
|
40.71
|
87,460
|
59.29
|
1,604
|
Northern Territory [2]
|
74,695
|
56,370
|
20,503
|
37.14
|
34,699
|
62.86
|
1,168
|
Total for Commonwealth
|
10,362,959
|
9,537,725
|
2,892,828
|
30.79
|
6,503,752
|
69.21
|
141,145
|
Results
|
Obtained a majority in no state and an overall minority of 3,610,924 votes. Not carried
|
See also
References
Further reading