The Constitution Alteration (Industrial Employment) Bill 1946, (Cth). was an unsuccessful proposal to alter the Australian Constitution to give the Commonwealth power to make laws regulating employment in industry. It was put to voters for approval in a referendum held on 28 September 1946. The proposals was narrowly rejected, with a minority of 1.80% in the fourth state, South Australia.

Question Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled 'Constitution Alteration (Industrial Employment) 1946'?

Proposed Changes to the Constitution

The proposal was to insert into section 51 that the Parliament have power to make laws with respect to::(xxxiv.A.) Terms and conditions of employment in industry, but not so as to authorize any form of industrial conscription;

Results + Result State Electoral roll Ballots issued For Against Informal Vote % Vote % New South Wales 1,858,749 1,757,150 833,822 778,280 48.28 145,048 Victoria 1,345,537 1,261,374 609,355 560,773 47.92 91,246 Queensland 660,316 612,170 243,242 43.42 316,970 51,958 South Australia 420,361 399,301 179,153 48.20 192,516 27,632 Western Australia 300,337 279,066 142,186 112,881 44.26 23,999 Tasmania 154,553 144,880 52,517 41.37 74,440 17,923 Armed forces  37,021 20,445 55.23 15,239 41.16 1337 Total for Commonwealth 4,739,853 4,453,941 2,060,275 2,035,860 49.70 357,806 Results Obtained majority in three states and an overall majority of 24,415 votes. Not carried

Discussion This was the sixth occasion in which the commonwealth sought power to regulate terms and conditions of employment, rather than using the conciliation and arbitration power, having been unsuccessful in 1911, 1913, 1919, 1926 and 1944.

For a referendum to approve an amendment of the constitution, it must ordinarily achieve a double majority: approved by a majority of states (i.e., four of the six states) as well as a majority of those voting nationwide. Mode of altering the Constitution. This was the third of five referendums () to achieve an overall majority, but fail the requirement of a majority of states.Handbook of the 44th Parliament (2014)

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.