Assessment Resource Centre (ARC)

1967 Referendum

The referendum of 1967 that was proposed by the Prime Minister Harold Holt affected not only the Aboriginal Community but the wider Australian community. It was brought about when Australia signed the 1966 International Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The referendum was held on the 27th May 1967 and it proposed two amendments to the Australian Constitution, the amendment to Section 51 and the removal of section 127. These amendments allowed the Aboriginal population to be counted in the nation’s census as part of the Australian population and also allowed the Commonwealth to create laws for Aboriginal people that were effective in any place in the Australia. This referendum was the one the government did not present a ‘No’ case and, consequently the ‘Yes’ vote won in majority of the states for an overall 90.77% of the population voting ‘Yes’. This referendum held much significance as it gave Aboriginal people a sense of humanity as they were counted as part of the population. It was also significant because it allowed a set of rules to be implemented for all Aboriginal people in Australia, not separate state laws that change from state to state. It gave the wider community and the government a sense that they were finally doing something that could try and repay the debt that they owed the Aboriginal people. This referendum did increase the amount given to Aboriginal people to help towards housing, education and health.

Top of Page