The other referendum of 1967

One of the pills which the larger colonies had to swallow for federation to happen was the principle of equal representation for the Senate for all states.  The other pill was the nexus.  Taken together they were anti-democratic measures.

They are measures which needed modification as Australia changed during the course of the twentieth century.  The failure to abolish the nexus has fixed our parliamentary representation in a form which does not serve the best interests of the country.

It may well mean that in the twenty first century the rest of Australia has to pander to, and give special treatment to, Tasmania and South Australia.  This has enormous implications for Australia’s future economic and social development. 

But then, of course, in 1967, the people of Australia chose democratically not to take the democratic path.  Maybe that is why the referendum has been so well and truly forgotten.