1919 Australian referendum (Monopolies)

The Constitution Alteration (Nationalization of Monopolies) Bill 1919,[1] was an unsuccessful Australian referendum seeking to alter the Australian Constitution to extend the government's power to legislate in respect of monopolies. The question was put to a referendum in the 1919 Australian referendum held in conjunction with the 1919 federal election.

Question


The proposal was to alter the text of section 51 of the Constitution as reads as follows:

51a.—(1.) The Parliament shall have power to make laws for 10 carrying on by or under the control of the Commonwealth, the industry or business of producing, manufacturing, or supplying any specified goods, or of supplying any specified services, and for acquiring for that purpose on just terms the assets and goodwill of the industry or business, where each House of the Parliament has 15 in the same Session, by resolution passed by an absolute majority of its members, referred to the High Court, for inquiry and report by a Justice thereof, the question whether the industry or business is the subject of a monopoly, and where, after the report of the Justice has been received, each House of the Parliament has, in one 20 Session, by resolution passed by an absolute majority of its members, declared that the industry or business is the subject of a monopoly.[1]

Results

Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled 'Constitution Alteration (Nationalization of Monopolies) 1919'?

Result [2]
State On
rolls		 Ballots
issued		 For Against Informal
Votes% Votes%
New South Wales 1,079,439 717,565 227,15638.31% 365,847 61.69% 124,330
Victoria 837,408638,098 324,34363.29% 188,129 36.71%124,834
Queensland 389,200 330,231 162,06256.92% 122,650 43.08%45,209
South Australia 268,235 178,092 38,50325.54% 112,259 74.46%27,203
Western Australia 163,544 103,235 45,28553.99% 38,584 46.01%19,019
Tasmania 112,03665,716 16,53134.08% 31,982 65.92%16,985
Total for Commonwealth 2,849,862 2,032,937 813,88048.64% 859,451 51.36%357,580
Obtained majority in three States and an overall minority of 45,571 votes.
Not carried

Discussion

The 1911 referendum asked a single question that dealt with the acquisition of monopolies, trade, commerce and industrial . The second resolution separated the laws in relation to monopolies and the acquisition of monopolies into different questions. On each of the many occasions a similar question was asked at a referendum the public decided not to vest power in the Commonwealth over these matters.

References
  1. "Constitution Alteration (Nationalization of Monopolies) Bill 1919". Retrieved 22 April 2019 – via legislation.gov.au.
  2. Handbook of the 44th Parliament (2014) "Part 5 - Referendums and Plebiscites - Referendum results". Parliamentary Library of Australia..


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