AK's Australian Election Series - 1911 Referenda

[Wake Me Up When The Hard Border Ends]

Andrew Fisher's Labour government was returned for a second term in 1910, despite a 9% swing against it on primary votes, and the loss of eleven seats. Labour now held 41 seats out of 75, for a majority of 7. The Commonwealth Liberal Party, led by Joseph Cook, won 32 seats, and although disappointed about their loss, the Commonwealth Liberals were only 3.1% behind Labour in terms of the national vote, on 43.8%. Cook remained leader of the party, vowing to his commitment of opposing socialism, although Cook was indeed a Labourite in the not-too-distant past. Alfred Deakin's new party, the Revenue Tariff Party, won 9.3% of the national vote, but most of this was wasted amongst large numbers of electorates, and only Deakin and George Wise, another former Protectionist, were elected.

While the referendum on state debts passed 60-40, the referendum regarding surplus revenue failed 64-36. Thus, military funding had to come from another source, and the Commonwealth Government now had powers to assume state debts at any time.

Summary of 1910 result:
Labour - 41 (-11)
Commonwealth Liberal* - 32 (+13)
Revenue Tariff - 2 (+2)
* - Commonwealth Liberal change is from Anti-Socialist 1907 total.

Prime Minister Fisher and his government wasted no time entering into their second term. Construction of rhe Trans-Australia Railway continued at full speed (pun intended), the Australian Royal Navy was formed, the bench of the High Court expanded, and the Commonwealth Bank formed.

With only a narrow victory though, two bills the Fisher government wanted passed, on trade and commerce and the nationalisation of monopolies respectively, were hard to pass through the Senate, where Labour only had a plurality of seats, and were put to the people on the 26th of April, 1911, just under a year after the first anniversary of the 1910 election.

Referendum question on trade and commerce:

Do you support more Commonwealth powers in the following areas: The control of corporations, trade, commerce, labour, employment and monopolies?

Referendum question on monopolies:

Do you support the Commonwealth having the power to nationalise any corporation, which is deemed by both houses of Parliament to be a monopoly?

Voting is open for 72 hours.

Me: NO and NO.

[ElectionsGuy]

No and no.

[Deus Naturae]

No and no.

[Cassius]

No and no.

[RogueBeaver]

No and no.

[Yeahsayyeah]

Yes on both!

[Flake]

Yes on both!

[Gass3268]

Hell yes to both!

[Comrade Funk]

Only would isolate Australia from the rest of the world, and cause emigration from small business owners. No and no.

[Dr. Cynic]

Yes to both.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Yes and yes.

[Supersonic]

Definitely no.

[Goldwater]

No and no.

[Wake Me Up When The Hard Border Ends]

Bumping, with a reminder that there is just over 25 hours to vote.

[Wake Me Up When The Hard Border Ends]

Last chance to vote!

EDIT: Voting is now closed, thank you all for your participation.