The Australian Constitution can only be altered if a 'double majority' is achieved in a national referendum. Consider a scenario where of the total Australian electorate votes in favor of a change, but the 'Yes' vote wins a majority in only Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia. Which of the following describes the outcome?
- The proposal fails because it requires a 'Yes' majority in at least four out of the six states.Answer
- BThe proposal passes because the national total of exceeds the required simple majority.
- CThe proposal passes because three states represent half of the six Australian states.
Answer
The proposal fails because the double majority rule requires a 'Yes' vote from a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states, in addition to a national majority.
The correct answer identifies that the referendum fails because it did not meet the 'majority of states' requirement. In Australia, there are six states, so a majority requires at least four of them to vote 'Yes'. Even though the national total was , having only three states in favor means the second half of the double majority was not achieved.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Double Majority Requirement
Hints
1
Recall that the 'double majority' has two distinct parts that must both be satisfied.
2
One part is the national total, and the other is the number of states. How many states are there in Australia, and what constitutes a majority of them?
3
There are 6 states. A majority of 6 is 4. In this scenario, only 3 states voted 'Yes'.
Practice More
Try to determine if the result would change if the scenario took place in the Northern Territory instead of a state.
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