How do referendums work in Australia?

The upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum will be the first time Australians have voted to amend the constitution since 1999 when 55% of Australian citizens voted against becoming a constitutional republic.

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- How do referendums work in Australia? The upcoming Voice Parliament referendum will be the first time Australians have voted to amend the Constitution since 1999, when 55% of Australian citizens voted against becoming a constitutional Republic. While the official Voice Parliament referendum date has not been announced, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has most recently said that the vote will be held between October and December this year.

All attempts to change the Constitution begin with a bill or a proposed law, which must be approved and passed by Parliament before the final outcome is decided by the Australian public. This public vote must take place two to six months after the bill has been passed. A double majority is required for a referendum to be formally approved, meaning on top of a "yes" vote from the overall national majority, a successful referendum also requires a "yes" majority from four out of six states. However, referendums in Australia are notoriously difficult to get up, with a total of 44 changes proposed in government and only 8 being officially passed. So, now you know.