Australians Vote to Change the Constitution on Aboriginal People

On 27 May 1967, Australian voters took part in a national referendum submitted by the government led by Prime Minister Harold Holt. The ballot presented the public with two distinct constitutional amendment proposals, covering three separate matters through two formal questions. Each proposal required the approval of a majority of voters nationwide as well as majorities in a majority of states to alter the Australian Constitution.

The first question concerned the Constitution Alteration (Parliament) Bill 1967. This proposed change addressed the composition of the federal legislature by seeking approval to increase the number of members serving in the House of Representatives without necessarily expanding the size of the Senate. Known as the nexus question, it was defeated: only 40.25 per cent of voters supported it, and it won a majority only in New South Wales.