1. Lesson 6: Being Counted
The 1962 Electoral Act Amendment

2. Question from last lesson
!
What inspired Perkins to organise the bus ride in 1965?
Perkins was inspired by a similar event in the USA, the
Freedom Rides of 1961.

3. What you need to know and be able to do!
•Explain the change to the 1962 Electoral Act
•Describe the referendum process to change the
constitution
•Explain the significance of the 1962 right to vote
federally and the 1967 Referendum to be counted
in the census

4. The 1962 Electoral Act Amendment
Commonwealth Electoral Act provided that Indigenous
people should have the right to enrol and vote at federal
elections, including Northern Territory elections, but
enrolment was not compulsory.

5. What is a referendum?

6. The referendum planned for 27 May 1967 would put two proposals to the Australian people:!
! •! that Aboriginal people should be counted in the census!
! •! that Aboriginal people should be placed under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth, not state governments, so that laws affecting them could be
implemented consistently and fairly across Australia.
The referendum planned for 27 May 1967 would put two
proposals to the Australian people:
!
• that Aboriginal people should be counted in the census
!
• that Aboriginal people should be placed under the
jurisdiction of the Commonwealth, not state
governments, so that laws affecting them could be
implemented consistently and fairly across Australia.
A staggering 90.7 percent voted ‘yes’
The 1967 Referendum