Addendum

Abstract

On 10 December 2009, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs delivered its inquiry report, A Time for Change: Yes/No? The report makes 17 recommendations for improving referendum machinery. The key recommendation concerns the establishment of an independent Referendum Panel prior to each referendum to determine an appropriate information and communications strategy. The Committee also recommended that:

the Yes/No pamphlets be retained, but that they be sent to every household rather than to every elector;

parliamentarians continue to authorise the Yes/No arguments;

current restrictions on Commonwealth spending on referendums be removed;

the Australian government develop and implement a national civics education program to enhance public engagement and improve knowledge of the Australian Constitution.

The report was tabled in Parliament on 8 February 2010, and the Government is expected to respond later in the year.