1946 Referendum

The 1946 Australian Referendum was a nationwide vote on whether to change the Australian Constitution to prevent the government from making laws about religion and to allow the government to create industries during emergencies. It asked Australians to approve two specific proposals—one about preventing laws establishing a religion or requiring religious tests, and another about giving power to the government during emergencies. Voters rejected the proposals, so the Constitution remained unchanged. This referendum reflected concerns about religious freedom and government authority in post-World War II Australia.