Held within the Australian referendum, 1967 was a question about the so-called Nexus. Section 24 of the Australian Constitution required that the number of members in the lower house be as near as possible to twice the numbers of members in the upper house (Senate).
This ratio is quite common in other parliaments, but there are significant exceptions. The most important effect of the nexus is to prevent swamping of the senate's power in the case of a joint sitting.
Results
Do you approve the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled 'An Act to alter the Constitution so that the number of members of the House of Representatives may be increased without necessarily increasing the number of Senators'?
Result
State
On
rolls
Ballots
issued
For
Against
Informal
%
%
New South Wales
2,315,828
2,166,507
1,087,694
%51.01
1,044,458
%48.99
34,355
Victoria
1,734,476
1,630,594
496,826
%30.87
1,112,506
%69.13
21,262
Queensland
904,808
848,728
370,200
%44.13
468,673
%55.87
9,855
South Australia
590,275
560,844
186,344
%33.91
363,120
%66.09
11,380
Western Australia
437,609
405,666
114,841
%29.05
280,523
%70.95
10,302
Tasmania
199,589
189,245
42,764
%23.06
142,660
%76.94
3,821
Total for Commonwealth
6,182,585
5,801,584
2,298,669
%40.25
3,411,940
%59.75
90,975
Obtained majority in one State and an overall minority
of 1,113,271 votes.
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