2016 Queensland term length referendum

Parliamentary term referendum in Queensland, Australia June 2020 August 2019 Fixed four-year terms A Bill for an Act to provide for fixed four-year terms for the Legislative Assembly in Queensland Queensland 2016 03 19 y 1,302,398 1,157,043 2,534,169 3,083,593 2016 Queensland term length referendum.svg electoral district Yes (69 electorates) No (20 electorates) Source: Electoral Commission of Queensland The 2016 Queensland fixed four-year terms referendum was a one-question referendum held in the Australian state of Queensland on 19 March 2016, in conjunction with the state's local government elections. Electors were asked if they approved of a bill to amend the Constitution of Queensland 2001 and the Constitution Act Amendment Act 1934 to legislate for fixed-term elections for the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, to be held in the last week of October every four years. The referendum was conducted by the Electoral Commission Queensland (ECQ). The referendum was successful, with just under 53 per cent of electors voting "Yes". It is the third successful Queensland referendum, after the constitutional referendum on Federation in 1899, and the 1910 referendum on religious education in schools.Commission declares State Referendum result: Four-year parliamentary terms approved https://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/55492/State-Referendum-declared.pdf Electoral Commission of Queensland 5 April 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160428074912/https://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/55492/State-Referendum-declared.pdf 28 April 2016 dead The referendum is also the most recent to be conducted at the state-level by any state in Australia. Background Queenslanders had previously voted in a referendum on 23 March 1991 on extending the maximum term of parliament from three to four years (without a fixed term provision). The 1991 referendum failed, with 811,078 No votes (51.1%) received to 772,647 Yes votes (48.9%).Fact Sheet 6.2: Referendums https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/explore/education/factsheets/Factsheet_6.2_Referendums.pdf Parliament of Queensland 15 March 2016 Arguments The ECQ is required to publish statements for and against the question being put to voters.Statement of Arguments http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/2016-state-referendum Electoral Commission Queensland 15 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160315212029/http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/2016-state-referendum 15 March 2016 dead When the statements were printed and published, supporters of the "No" case complained that the pamphlet for the "Yes" case was more "eye-catching", with a larger, bolder typeface giving their opponents more prominence.O'Brien Chris Queensland referendum: "No" case supporters complain 'yes' pamphlets more prominent http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-25/queensland-referendum-no-case-supporters-complain-ecq/7200318 15 March 2016 ABC News 26 February 2016 The ECQ denied it had given one side more prominence, and that the pamphlets had been written and formatted by members of parliament who had voted for or against the bill to hold the referendum. Shadow attorney-general Ian Walker called the claims of bias a "storm in a teacup".Queensland referendum: Pamphlet on fixed parliamentary terms 'a storm in a teacup' http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-26/queensland-referendum-fixed-parliamentary-terms-pamphlets-backed/7202644 15 March 2016 ABC News 26 February 2016 "Yes" case The argument for fixed four-year terms was supported in the parliament by the governing Labor Party, the opposition Liberal National Party and the three independent members of the assembly.State referendum 2016: Fixed four-year terms Yes and No cases presented http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-26/2016-four-year-fixed-term-referendum-yes-no-case-summary/7200730 15 March 2016 612 ABC Brisbane 26 February 2016 Proponents of the "Yes" case said that four-year fixed terms would reduce the cost of holding elections; provide certainty to business and electors, as well as allow MPs more time for considered policy development; and would take the politics out of the election date being decided by the Premier of the day to their party's advantage. "No" case The argument against fixed four-year terms was supported by Katter's Australian Party. KAP and other proponents of the "No" case stated that the proposal was wrong for a unicameral parliament without an upper house, and that voters would have to wait longer to vote out a "bad" government. They said there is no guarantee that longer terms would ensure better planning and policy development, and that it would make parliamentarians more complacent and less responsive. Graeme Orr, professor of law at the University of Queensland, wrote an opinion article on the Brisbane Times online news site titled "Four-year terms in Queensland: Why you should vote no", which argued against the proposal to change.Orr Graeme Four-year terms in Queensland: Why you should vote no http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/fouryear-terms-in-queensland-why-you-should-vote-no-20160315-gnjvt6.html 17 March 2016 Brisbane Times 15 March 2016 Result thumb|Results by electoral district On 5 April 2016, the Electoral Commission declared that the referendum had passed, with final counting still under way but with the result beyond doubt. Electoral Commissioner Walter van der Merwe called the result "historic", given that the previous referendum on parliamentary term length in 1991 had failed, and that it was the third successful state referendum in Queensland history. The final results were 1,302,398 "Yes" votes (52.96%) to 1,157,043 "No" votes (47.04%).2016 State Referendum - Summary http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/state/REF2016/results/summary.html Electoral Commission of Queensland 5 April 2016 4 April 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160404115534/http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/state/REF2016/results/summary.html deadhttps://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/explore/education/factsheets/factsheet_6.2_referendums.pdf Queensland Parliament Factsheet: Referendums Parliament of Queensland July 2018 2022-11-25 See also 1991 Queensland four year terms referendum 1981 New South Wales referendum References External links Electoral Commission Queensland: 2016 State Referendum ABC Elections: 2016 State Referendum plus Brisbane City Election term length Queensland Queensland Category:2016 in Queensland