1988 Australian referendum (Local Government)

1988 Australian Local Government referendum
3 September 1988 (1988-09-03)
A Proposed Law: To alter the Constitution to recognise local government.

Do you approve of this proposed alteration?
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 3,163,488 33.61%
No 6,248,166 66.39%
Valid votes 9,411,654 98.68%
Invalid or blank votes 126,071 1.32%
Total votes 9,537,725 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 10,362,959 92.04%

The Constitution Alteration (Local Government) Bill 1988,[1] was an unsuccessful proposal to alter the Australian Constitution to recognise local government. It was put to voters for approval in a referendum held on 3 September 1988. The structure of the Constitution recognises government at federal and state levels, but makes no mention of local government.

The "no" campaign in 1988 argued that this change would undermine states' rights, i.e. that it would move – or make it possible to move – some power from state governments to local governments.

  1. ^ Constitution Alteration (Local Government) Bill 1988 (Cth)