The 1967 referendum

In a referendum held on 27 May 1967, Australians voted to remove references in the Australian Constitution that discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The changes to the Constitution included the repeal of Section 127 and the removal of discriminatory words from s51 (xxvi).

These changes enabled the Australian Parliament to:

make special laws for First Australians
Count First Australians as part of the population, including in the national census.

For more records relating to the 1967 referendum, visit referendums and changing Australia's constitution.

You can learn more about the history of the Australian Constitution on a virtual tour of our exhibition Voices / Dhuniai: Federation, democracy and the Constitution.

Curriculum areas

Year 6 HASS – AC9HS6K02

Year 7 Civic and Citizenship – AC9HC7K02, AC9HC7S03, AC9HC7S04, AC9HC7S05

Year 9 Civic and Citizenship – AC9HC9K01, AC9HC9S03, AC9HC9S05

Year 10 Civic and Citizenship – AC9HC10K05, AC9HC10S02

Year 10 History – AC9HH10K09, AC9HH10K10, AC9HH10K11, AC9HH10S02, AC9HH10S04, AC9HH10S08.

Records

Record

Letter to Prime Minister Ben Chifley advocating for Aboriginal Representation in Parliament.

Request for First Australian representation in federal parliament – Letter to Prime Minister Chifley

This is a letter from Labor Member of Parliament Kim E Beazley (Senior) to Prime Minister Ben Chifley.

Record

First Australian campaigners meeting with Prime Minister Harold Holt.

First Australian campaigners meet with Prime Minister Harold Holt seeking support for the 1967 referendum

Lobbyists from the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders meet with Harold Holt in February 1967

Record

Power to legislate on behalf of Indigenous people, 1967.

The decision by Government to hold the 1967 referendum – Cabinet minute

This is a Cabinet minute recording the government’s decision to hold a referendum to give parliament the power to make laws for First Australians.

Record

Argument in favour of the proposed Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) 1967

This document summarises the arguments in favour of changing sections 51 and 127 in the Australian Constitution.

Record

Referendum action sheet Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.

Action sheet to support the 'Yes' campaign for the 1967 referendum

This record is an action sheet produced by the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI), an organisation that managed a nationwide ‘Yes’ campaign for the 1967 referendum.

Record

Notice of the results of the 1967 referendum.

Announcement of 1967 referendum results in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette

Notice in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette of the results of the 1967 referendum.

Resources

Resource