The Double Majority Requirement

12 questions

In a referendum to change the Australian Constitution, the 'Yes' vote achieves a majority in four out of the six states (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia). However, when all votes across Australia are counted, the total 'Yes' vote is $48\%$ . Based on the double majority requirement, what is the outcome of this referendum?

The proposal is successful because a majority of states (four out of six) supported the change.

The proposal is unsuccessful because it did not receive a 'Yes' vote from more than half of the total number of voters in Australia.

The proposal is unsuccessful because constitutional changes require a 'Yes' vote from every single state and territory in Australia.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The proposal is unsuccessful because it did not receive a 'Yes' vote from more than half of the total number of voters in Australia.

Answer

The proposal is unsuccessful because it failed to achieve a majority of 'Yes' votes from more than half of all Australian voters.

For a referendum to be successful in Australia, it must satisfy two conditions simultaneously: more than half of the total national voters must vote 'Yes', and a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states must also vote 'Yes'. In this scenario, while the state requirement was met (4 states), the national vote was only

48\%

, which is less than the required

50\%

plus one.

Step-by-Step Solution

Check the national result against the first requirement of the double majority rule.

The national 'Yes' vote was

48\%

To pass, the total number of 'Yes' votes across all of Australia must be more than

50\%

Check the state-level result against the second requirement of the double majority rule.

Four out of six states voted 'Yes'.

To pass, a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states must vote 'Yes'.

Evaluate if both conditions were met simultaneously.

The state requirement was met, but the national requirement was not.

Since both parts of the 'double majority' must be satisfied for a referendum to succeed, the failure of the national majority means the change is rejected.

Key Concept

The Double Majority Rule

Hints

Remember that 'double majority' means two different types of majorities must be achieved at the same time.

Check if

48\%

is more than half of the national population. If not, the first part of the rule has failed.

Even though 4 out of 6 states voted 'Yes', the total national vote must also be over

50\%

for the referendum to pass.

Practice More

Review how voters in the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory contribute to the national majority but not the state-by-state count.

Estimated Time:1m 15s

Question 2Question →

A referendum is held to change the Australian Constitution. The final results are recorded as follows:

Voting Category	Result
Total National 'Yes' Vote	$52\%$
States with a 'Yes' Majority	New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland
States with a 'No' Majority	South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania
Territories with a 'Yes' Majority	Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory

Based on these results, why is the proposed change to the Constitution rejected?

The 'double majority' requires a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states; territory results contribute to the national total but do not count toward the state-based majority.

The referendum failed because a successful change to the Constitution requires a 'Yes' vote from a majority of voters in all six states and both territories to ensure total national consensus.

The proposal was rejected because the national 'Yes' vote must reach a 'super-majority' threshold of

60\%

when the state-based majority is split evenly at three states each.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The 'double majority' requires a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states; territory results contribute to the national total but do not count toward the state-based majority.

Answer

The referendum failed because the 'double majority' requires a majority of voters in at least four states, and the majorities achieved in the territories do not count toward this state-based requirement.

The 'double majority' rule requires two separate majorities to be successful: a majority of all voters nationwide and a majority of voters in at least four of the six states. In this scenario, the national majority was achieved with

52\%

, but only three states (NSW, VIC, QLD) recorded a 'Yes' majority. Although the ACT and NT also voted 'Yes', territories do not count as states for the second part of the 'double majority' requirement, meaning the threshold of four states was not reached.

Step-by-Step Solution

Evaluate the first requirement of the 'double majority' rule: the national majority.

Passed (

52\%

is greater than

50\%

A majority of all voters across Australia (including those in the territories) must vote 'Yes'.

Evaluate the second requirement: the majority of states.

Failed (Only 3 out of 6 states voted 'Yes').

A majority of voters in a majority of states (at least 4 out of the 6 states) must vote 'Yes'.

Determine the role of the territories (ACT and NT) in the state-based count.

Excluded from the state count.

Under Section 128 of the Constitution, territory votes count toward the national total but do not contribute to the 'majority of states' requirement.

Synthesize the final outcome based on both requirements.

The referendum is rejected.

Since only one of the two necessary majorities was achieved, the constitutional change cannot proceed.

Key Concept

The Double Majority Requirement

Estimated Time:3m 0s

Question 3Question →

A national referendum is held to change the Australian Constitution. The final tally shows that $49\%$ of all voters in Australia voted 'Yes'. At the same time, the 'Yes' vote achieved a majority in five out of the six states. According to the 'double majority' rule, what is the result of this referendum?

The proposed change is successful because a majority of voters in at least four states voted 'Yes'.

The proposed change fails because a majority of all voters across Australia did not vote 'Yes'.

The proposed change is successful because the high state support compensates for the national total being slightly below half.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The proposed change fails because a majority of all voters across Australia did not vote 'Yes'.

Answer

The proposed change fails because the national majority requirement (more than

50\%

of all voters) was not met.

The 'double majority' rule is a strict two-part requirement. Even though the proposal was supported by a majority of states (5 out of 6), it failed to gain the support of more than

50\%

of voters across the whole of Australia (

49\%

). Because both requirements must be met for a change to occur, the proposal fails.

Step-by-Step Solution

Evaluate the national majority requirement.

The 'Yes' vote was

49\%

, which is less than the required

50\%

plus one vote.

The first part of the double majority rule requires a majority of all voters across the entire nation.

Evaluate the state majority requirement.

Five out of six states voted 'Yes', which exceeds the required minimum of four states.

The second part of the double majority rule requires a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states.

Determine the final outcome based on the double majority rule.

The referendum fails.

For a constitutional change to be successful, both the national majority AND the state majority must be achieved. Since the national majority failed, the proposal cannot pass.

Key Concept

The Double Majority Requirement

Hints

Remember that the word 'double' in 'double majority' means two specific conditions must be satisfied at the same time.

Check if the national 'Yes' vote reached more than

50\%

and if at least four states reached a majority.

Practice More

Review how the votes of citizens living in territories (ACT and NT) are counted in a referendum compared to those living in the six states.

Estimated Time:1m 0s

Question 4Question →

In a national referendum to change the Australian Constitution, the final count shows that $62\%$ of all voters across the country voted 'Yes'. The 'Yes' vote also achieved a majority in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, but failed to reach a majority in the other three states. What is the result of this referendum?

The proposal is rejected because a majority of voters in at least four states did not vote 'Yes'.

The proposal is successful because more than half of the total number of voters in Australia supported the change.

The proposal is successful because it achieved a majority in half of the states and a strong national majority.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The proposal is rejected because a majority of voters in at least four states did not vote 'Yes'.

Answer

The proposal is rejected because it failed to achieve a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states.

The correct answer identifies that the referendum fails. Under Section 128 of the Australian Constitution, a change only passes if it achieves a 'double majority': a majority of voters nationally and a majority of voters in at least four of the six states. In this scenario, although the national majority was high (

62\%

), only three states voted 'Yes', meaning the second half of the requirement was not fulfilled.

Step-by-Step Solution

Check the national majority requirement.

The proposal received

62\%

of the national vote, which is more than

50\%

. The first requirement is met.

To pass, a referendum must first achieve a majority of all voters across Australia (including territories).

Check the state majority requirement.

The proposal achieved a majority in 3 states (NSW, VIC, QLD). Since there are 6 states, a majority is at least 4. This requirement is not met.

The 'double majority' rule specifically requires a majority of voters in a majority of states (4 out of 6).

Determine the final outcome.

Since both requirements were not met (only the national majority was achieved), the referendum fails.

Both the national majority and the state majority must be achieved for the Constitution to be changed.

Key Concept

The Double Majority Requirement

Hints

Remember that changing the Constitution requires a 'double majority'.

The 'double majority' involves two separate counts: the total national votes and the number of states that voted 'Yes'.

How many states are there in Australia, and how many of them must vote 'Yes' for a majority?

Practice More

Review how voters in the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory are counted in a referendum.

Estimated Time:1m 15s

Question 5Question →

In a referendum to change the Australian Constitution, the final results show that $49\%$ of the total number of voters across Australia voted 'Yes'. At the state level, a majority of voters in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania voted 'Yes', while a majority of voters in New South Wales and Victoria voted 'No'. Based on the 'double majority' rule, what is the outcome of this referendum?

The proposed change is unsuccessful because it failed to achieve a majority of 'Yes' votes from all voters across Australia.

The proposed change is successful because it was supported by a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states.

The proposed change is successful because the vote in the four smaller states overrides the 'No' votes from the two more populous states.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The proposed change is unsuccessful because it failed to achieve a majority of 'Yes' votes from all voters across Australia.

Answer

The proposed change is unsuccessful because it failed to achieve a majority of 'Yes' votes from all voters across Australia.

The correct answer identifies that the referendum fails because the national majority requirement was not met. Under the 'double majority' rule defined in the Australian Constitution, a proposed change must receive a 'Yes' vote from more than

50\%

of all voters nationwide, in addition to a majority of voters in at least four of the six states. While the four-state requirement was satisfied in this scenario, the

49\%

national total means the first requirement was missed.

Step-by-Step Solution

Evaluate the first requirement of the 'double majority' rule: the national majority.

The national 'Yes' vote was

49\%

, which is less than the required

50\% + 1

A majority of all voters across Australia must vote 'Yes' for a referendum to pass.

Evaluate the second requirement of the 'double majority' rule: the state majority.

Four states (Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania) voted 'Yes', which is a majority of the

6

states.

A majority of voters in at least

4

out of

6

states must vote 'Yes' for a referendum to pass.

Determine the final outcome by checking if both requirements were met.

The state requirement was met, but the national requirement was not met.

Both conditions must be satisfied simultaneously for the Constitution to be changed.

Key Concept

The Double Majority Requirement

Hints

Recall that the 'double majority' means two different types of majorities must be achieved at the same time.

Check if the national total is more than

50\%

AND if at least

4

out of

6

states voted 'Yes'.

Practice More

Review the specific role of territories in referendums, as they count toward the national majority but not toward the state-based majority.

Estimated Time:1m 30s

Question 6Question →

The Australian Constitution can only be altered if a 'double majority' is achieved in a national referendum. Consider a scenario where $58\%$ 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.

The proposal passes because the national total of

58\%

exceeds the required simple majority.

The proposal passes because three states represent half of the six Australian states.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The proposal fails because it requires a 'Yes' majority in at least four out of the six 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

58\%

, having only three states in favor means the second half of the double majority was not achieved.

Step-by-Step Solution

Check the national majority requirement.

The national vote is

58\%

, which is more than

50\%

. The first part of the requirement is met.

The double majority rule starts with a total majority of voters across all of Australia.

Check the state majority requirement.

Only 3 out of 6 states (Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia) voted 'Yes'.

The second part of the rule requires a majority of voters in a majority of states (4 out of 6).

Determine the final outcome based on both criteria.

Since only 3 states voted 'Yes', the 'majority of states' requirement failed.

Both conditions (national majority AND 4/6 states) must be true for the Constitution to change.

Key Concept

The Double Majority Requirement

Hints

Recall that the 'double majority' has two distinct parts that must both be satisfied.

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?

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.

Estimated Time:1m 0s

Question 7Question →

To change the Australian Constitution, a proposed change must be approved by the people in a referendum. For the change to be successful, it must reach a 'double majority.' Which of the following best describes this requirement?

A majority of voters in at least four out of the six states, and a national majority of all voters in Australia.

A majority of voters in all six states, as well as a majority of all voters in the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory.

A simple national majority of more than 50% of all voters across Australia, regardless of the results in individual states.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: A majority of voters in at least four out of the six states, and a national majority of all voters in Australia.

Answer

A majority of voters in at least four out of the six states, and a national majority of all voters in Australia.

The correct answer identifies that a double majority consists of two distinct hurdles: a national majority (more than half of all Australian voters) and a state-based majority (a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states).

Step-by-Step Solution

Identify the first requirement of the double majority rule.

A national majority of all voters in Australia (more than 50%) must vote 'Yes'.

This ensures the change has broad support across the entire Australian population.

Identify the second requirement of the double majority rule.

A majority of voters in a majority of the states (at least 4 out of the 6 states) must vote 'Yes'.

This ensures the change has support across different regions of the federation, protecting smaller states from being overborne by more populous ones.

Determine the combined outcome.

Both hurdles must be cleared for the referendum to pass.

The 'double' majority refers to the requirement of passing both the national and state-based thresholds.

Key Concept

The double majority requirement ensures that constitutional changes have both broad national support and support across the majority of Australia's states.

Hints

The term 'double' means that two different types of vote counts must be successful at the same time.

One part of the rule looks at all votes in Australia together, while the other looks at how many individual states voted 'Yes'.

For the state-based majority, you need more than half of the six Australian states (which is 4 states) to approve the change.

Practice More

Research why the 1999 Republic Referendum failed despite high support in some areas—it is a classic example of the double majority requirement in action.

Estimated Time:1m 0s

Question 8Question →

In a hypothetical referendum to change the Australian Constitution, $51\%$ of all voters across Australia vote 'Yes'. At the state level, a majority of voters in New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia vote 'Yes', while a majority of voters in Victoria, Western Australia, and Tasmania vote 'No'. Based on the 'double majority' rule, why is this proposed change rejected?

It is rejected because the 'double majority' requires a majority of voters in at least

4

out of the

6

states, and in this scenario, only

3

states voted in favor.

It is rejected because the national majority must be at least

60\%

to be valid if the state results are evenly split between 'Yes' and 'No' votes.

It is rejected because the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory must also be counted as states to achieve a majority of

5

out of

8

administrative regions.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: It is rejected because the 'double majority' requires a majority of voters in at least $4$ out of the $6$ states, and in this scenario, only $3$ states voted in favor.

Answer

The proposed change is rejected because the 'double majority' rule requires a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states to approve the change, and in this scenario, only three states (New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia) did so.

The 'double majority' rule is a two-part requirement: a majority of all voters in Australia must vote 'Yes', AND a majority of voters in at least four of the six states must also vote 'Yes'. In this scenario, while

51\%

of the national population voted 'Yes', only three states (NSW, QLD, SA) reached a majority. Since three is not a majority of the six states, the requirement was not met.

Step-by-Step Solution

Evaluate the national majority requirement.

The national 'Yes' vote is

51\%

, which is more than half of the total Australian voters.

The first part of the double majority rule requires a simple majority of all voters across Australia.

Count the number of states where the majority of voters voted 'Yes'.

Three states (New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia) voted 'Yes'.

The second part of the double majority rule depends on the results in individual states.

Determine if the 'majority of states' requirement is met.

No, it is not met because

3

out of

6

is not a majority.

A 'majority of states' means at least

4

out of the

6

Australian states must have a majority 'Yes' vote.

Formulate the final conclusion based on the double majority rule.

The referendum fails because although the national majority was met, the state majority was not.

Both conditions (national majority AND majority of states) must be satisfied for a constitutional change to be successful.

Key Concept

The Double Majority Requirement

Hints

Remember that 'double majority' means two different types of majorities must be achieved simultaneously.

Check how many states are in Australia and what number would constitute a majority of those states.

There are 6 states. A majority of 6 is 4. Does the scenario describe 4 states voting 'Yes'?

Practice More

Review the history of Australian referendums to see how many have failed due to missing the state majority despite having a national majority.

Estimated Time:2m 0s

Question 9Question →

The Australian Government proposes a change to the Constitution through a referendum. After the votes are counted, the Australian Electoral Commission announces that while a clear majority of all Australians ( $54\%$ ) voted 'Yes', the 'Yes' vote only won in three out of the six states. Even though the residents of the territories also voted 'Yes', what is the final status of this constitutional change?

The change is rejected because it failed to achieve a majority of voters in at least four states.

The change is accepted because a national majority of

54\%

was achieved.

The change is accepted because the majority support in the territories counts toward the state requirement.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The change is rejected because it failed to achieve a majority of voters in at least four states.

Answer

The change is rejected because it failed to achieve a majority of voters in at least four states.

The correct answer reflects the 'double majority' rule, which is the only way to change the Australian Constitution. This rule requires two separate majorities: a majority of all voters nationwide and a majority of voters in a majority of states (at least 4 out of 6). In this scenario, while the national majority was reached (

54\%

), only 3 states supported the change, meaning the second requirement was not met.

Step-by-Step Solution

Check the national results against the first part of the double majority rule.

The 'Yes' vote reached

54\%

, which is more than

50\%

. The national majority requirement is met.

The first requirement for a referendum to pass is a majority of all voters across Australia.

Check the state-by-state results against the second part of the double majority rule.

Only 3 out of 6 states voted 'Yes'. The rule requires a majority in at least 4 states.

The second requirement is a 'majority of states', which means at least four of the six states must have a majority 'Yes' vote.

Determine if territories can help meet the state-based requirement.

No. Territory votes only count toward the national total, not toward the count of states.

Under the Australian Constitution, the 'majority of states' requirement specifically refers to the six states (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, and TAS).

Combine the requirements to find the final outcome.

Since only one of the two requirements was met, the referendum fails.

Both the national majority and the majority of states must be achieved for the Constitution to be altered.

Key Concept

The Double Majority Requirement

Hints

Changing the Constitution requires two different types of majorities to be met at the same time.

Count how many states voted 'Yes' and compare it to the requirement of 4 out of 6 states.

Territories count for the total national percentage, but they don't count as one of the 'four states' needed to pass a referendum.

Practice More

Review how many referendums have been successful in Australian history to understand how difficult the double majority requirement makes constitutional change.

Estimated Time:1m 15s

Question 10Question →

In a referendum to change the Australian Constitution, more than half of the total number of voters across Australia vote 'Yes', but a majority of voters in only three out of the six states vote 'Yes'. Which of the following describes the outcome of this referendum?

The proposed change is rejected because it failed to achieve a majority of 'Yes' votes in at least four out of the six states.

The proposed change is successful because a majority of the total number of voters in Australia supported the amendment.

The proposed change is successful because reaching a majority in half of the states (three out of six) satisfies the state-based requirement.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The proposed change is rejected because it failed to achieve a majority of 'Yes' votes in at least four out of the six states.

Answer

The proposed change is rejected because it did not receive a majority of 'Yes' votes in at least four out of the six states.

For a referendum to be successful in Australia, it must satisfy the 'double majority' rule. This means the proposal needs a majority of 'Yes' votes from all voters across Australia AND a majority of 'Yes' votes in at least four out of the six states. In this scenario, while the national majority was achieved, only three states voted 'Yes', which is not a majority of states (4/6). Therefore, the proposed change is rejected.

Step-by-Step Solution

Identify the 'Double Majority' rule components.

Requirement 1: A majority of voters in Australia as a whole. Requirement 2: A majority of voters in a majority of states (at least 4 out of 6 states).

This is the legal standard required by the Australian Constitution for any amendment.

Evaluate the first requirement against the scenario.

The scenario states a majority of all voters in Australia voted 'Yes'. Requirement 1 is met.

The national total was over 50%.

Evaluate the second requirement against the scenario.

The scenario states only 3 out of 6 states had a majority 'Yes' vote. Requirement 2 is NOT met.

A majority of states requires at least 4 out of 6 states to agree. 3 states is only half, not a majority.

Determine the final outcome.

Since both requirements must be met simultaneously, the referendum fails.

The double majority requirement is 'and', not 'or'.

Key Concept

The Double Majority Requirement

Hints

Recall that changing the Constitution requires two different types of majorities to be met at the same time.

One majority is the total number of 'Yes' votes across the whole country. The other is how many of the six states have a 'Yes' majority.

Is 3 out of 6 a 'majority' of states, or is it exactly half? Think about how many states must say 'Yes' for it to be more than half.

Practice More

Review why the Australian Constitution makes it difficult to change the law through this double majority system.

Estimated Time:1m 15s

Question 11Question →

A national referendum is held to propose a change to the Australian Constitution. After the votes are counted, the results are recorded as follows:

Region	Majority Vote Result
New South Wales	Yes
Victoria	Yes
Queensland	Yes
Western Australia	No
South Australia	No
Tasmania	No
Territories (ACT and NT)	Yes ( $85\%$ )
Total National Vote	Yes ( $52\%$ )

Based on these results and the rules for changing the Australian Constitution, what is the final outcome of the referendum?

The referendum fails because a majority of voters in at least four states did not vote 'Yes'.

The referendum is successful because a majority of all Australians (

52\%

) voted 'Yes' and three states reached a majority.

The referendum is successful because the strong 'Yes' vote in the Territories compensates for the lower number of states that voted 'Yes'.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The referendum fails because a majority of voters in at least four states did not vote 'Yes'.

Answer

The referendum fails because a majority of voters in at least four states did not vote 'Yes'.

To change the Australian Constitution, a 'double majority' is required. This means more than half of the total voters in Australia must vote 'Yes', AND more than half of the voters in at least four of the six states must vote 'Yes'. In this scenario, while the national majority was achieved (

52\%

), only three states (NSW, VIC, QLD) voted 'Yes'. Since four states were required, the referendum failed.

Step-by-Step Solution

Evaluate the National Majority requirement.

The national 'Yes' vote is

52\%

, which is more than

50\%

The first part of the 'double majority' rule requires a majority of all voters across Australia (including Territories) to vote 'Yes'.

Evaluate the State Majority requirement.

Only 3 out of 6 states (New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland) voted 'Yes'.

The second part of the 'double majority' rule requires a majority of voters in a majority of states. A majority of 6 states is at least 4 states.

Determine the final outcome based on both requirements.

One requirement passed, but the other failed, so the overall result is a failure.

Both parts of the 'double majority' must be satisfied for the Constitution to be changed.

Key Concept

The double majority requirement for constitutional change.

Hints

Remember that the 'double majority' rule has two separate gates that both must be passed.

Count how many states actually voted 'Yes' and compare that to the total number of states in Australia (

6

A majority of

6

4

. Does this scenario meet that requirement?

Practice More

Review how the votes of citizens in the ACT and Northern Territory are treated differently from those in the six states during a referendum.

Estimated Time:2m 0s

Question 12Question →

For a proposed change to the Australian Constitution to be successful, it must be approved in a referendum by a "double majority." What are the two components required to reach this double majority?

A majority of voters in a majority of states (at least four out of six) and a majority of voters across the whole of Australia.

A simple majority of the total national vote, without any specific requirement for a majority in individual states.

A majority of votes from members of the Federal Parliament followed by a simple majority of the national vote.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: A majority of voters in a majority of states (at least four out of six) and a majority of voters across the whole of Australia.

Answer

The double majority requires a majority of voters across the whole of Australia and a majority of voters in a majority of states (at least four out of six).

The correct answer accurately describes the two-tiered requirement of Section 128 of the Australian Constitution: a national majority (total 'Yes' votes) and a federal majority (a 'Yes' vote in at least 4 of the 6 states).

Step-by-Step Solution

Identify the national requirement.

More than 50% of all voters in Australia (including the states and territories) must vote 'Yes'.

This ensures the change has broad support across the entire population.

Identify the state-based requirement.

A majority of voters in at least four out of the six states must vote 'Yes'.

The Constitution was an agreement between the states, so the majority of those states must agree to any changes.

Combine the requirements.

Both the national majority and the state majority must be achieved simultaneously.

This is the 'double' aspect of the rule designed to protect the interests of both the national population and the individual states.

Key Concept

The Double Majority Requirement

Hints

Think about why the word 'double' is used. It means two different types of majorities must be met at the same time.

One majority is calculated by looking at every single vote in Australia. The other is calculated by looking at the results in each state individually.

To pass, you need more than 50% of the whole country to say yes, and you also need at least 4 out of the 6 states to have a 'Yes' majority.

Practice More

Research why only 8 out of 44 referendums in Australian history have been successful, and how the double majority rule played a role.

Estimated Time:45s

The Double Majority Requirement

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

Hints

Practice More