1925 Western Australian prohibition referendum
4 April 1925
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 41,254 34.88%
No 77,030 65.12%
Valid votes 118,284 99.33%
Invalid or blank votes 795 0.67%
Total votes 119,079 100.00%

A referendum was held on 4 April 1925 in the Australian state of Western Australia on the topic of prohibition.

History

The Licensing Act Amendment Act 1922 (No.39 of 1922) was assented to by the Governor of Western Australia on 22 December 1922. Section 60 of the Act (which became Section 87(e) of the Licensing Act 1911) stipulated that "in 1925, and in every fifth year thereafter... there shall be taken a poll of the electors in every electoral district on the proposal that prohibition shall come into force in Western Australia". It also provided that if prohibition was passed, "the proposal shall be that licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquor shall be restored". The franchise was to be the same as that for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, and a proposal could only be carried if 60% of all votes were in favour.[1]

Prior to the enactment of this provision, two referendums, one in 1911 and another in 1921, had rejected prohibition.

Referendum results

Question: Do you favour Prohibition coming into force in Western Australia?

Valid votes Informal votes For[2] Against
119,079 795 41,254 34.88% 77,030 65.12

The proposal was rejected.[3]

Aftermath

Despite the legislation calling for five-yearly referendums, only one more was held in 1950.[4] Section 87 of the Licensing Act was repealed in 1959.[5]

References

  1. ^ State Law Publisher (3 February 1959). "Western Australian Legislation - Licensing Act Amendment Act 1959". Retrieved 10 October 2009. The relevant section starts on page 27 of the PDF.
  2. ^ "News Exchange". The Geraldton Express. Geraldton. 8 May 1925. p. 2. Retrieved 21 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "1925 Prohibition Referendum". Western Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  4. ^ Black, David (1991). "Factionalism and Stability, 1911-1947". In Black, David (ed.). The house on the hill: A history of the Parliament of Western Australia 1832-1990. West Perth: Parliament of Western Australia. p. 117. ISBN 0-7309-3983-9.
  5. ^ State Law Publisher (3 February 1959). "Western Australian Legislation - Licensing Act Amendment Act 1959". Retrieved 10 October 2009. Section 21 repealed section 81-98 in the Licensing Act.
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