1977 Australian plebiscite (National Song)

Australian national anthem plebiscite, 1977
	Map of results by state. Blue indicates a state voted for Advance Australia Fair, yellow for Song of Australia, and red for Waltzing Matilda
Results

As an additional question in the 1977 referendum, voters were polled on which tune they would prefer to be used for the national anthem (in place of "God Save the Queen"). Voting on this question was not compulsory. This was the third plebiscite to be held in Australia, following two regarding military service in 1916 and 1917.^[1] The winner, "Advance Australia Fair", was later given official lyrics and formally declared the Australian anthem in 1984.

Background

Prior to 1974, "God Save the Queen" was Australia's national anthem. In 1974, the Whitlam government performed a nationwide opinion survey, conducted through the Australian Bureau of Statistics, to determine the song to be sung on occasions of national significance. "Advance Australia Fair" was chosen and was enshrined as the national song, to be used on all occasions excepting those of a specifically regal nature.

In January 1976, the Fraser government reinstated "God Save the Queen" for royal, vice-regal, defence and loyal toast occasions, and made plans to conduct a national poll to find a song for use on ceremonial occasions when it was desired to mark a separate Australian identity.

Results

Voters were presented with the following choice: Against the background that 'GOD SAVE THE QUEEN' is the NATIONAL ANTHEM to be played on Regal and Vice Regal occasions, electors may indicate their preferences as to which of the tunes of the songs listed below they would prefer to be played on other occasions.^[2]

Result
State	Electoral roll	Ballots issued	"God Save the Queen"		"Advance Australia Fair"		"The Song of Australia"		"Waltzing Matilda"		Informal
State	Electoral roll	Ballots issued	Vote	%	Vote	%	Vote	%	Vote	%	Informal
New South Wales	3,007,511	2,537,805	348,885	15.32	1,169,421	51.35	121,456	5.33	637,795	28.00	260,248
Victoria	2,252,831	1,951,160	352,603	20.68	683,451	40.09	110,591	6.49	557,991	32.73	246,524
Queensland	1,241,426	1,056,804	204,453	21.38	438,929	45.90	61,234	6.40	251,609	26.31	100,579
South Australia	799,243	706,392	114,477	18.07	152,507	24.07	215,085	33.95	151,434	23.90	72,889
Western Australia	682,291	487,879	113,054	23.17	183,159	37.54	75,524	15.48	116,142	23.81	68,394
Tasmania	259,081	253,525	47,346	22.38	88,825	41.98	21,091	9.97	54,329	25.68	23,934
Australian Capital Territory	120,875	22,136	1,448	6.65	7,857	36.11	1,863	8.56	10,593	48.68	375
Northern Territory	38,209	2,951	423	14.93	1,143	40.35	413	14.58	854	30.14	118
Total for Commonwealth	8,401,467	7,069,046	1,182,689	18.78	2,725,292	43.29	607,257	9.65	1,780,747	28.28	773,061

References

^ Electoral Pocketbook (includes 2004 federal election results) (June 2005) Media and Communication Section. Australian Electoral Commission. Kingston, ACT.ISBN 0-9752279-7-1
^ Handbook of the 44th Parliament (2014) "Part 5 - Referendums and Plebiscites - Plebiscite results". Parliamentary Library of Australia.

[1] Electoral Pocketbook (includes 2004 federal election results) (June 2005) Media and Communication Section. Australian Electoral Commission. Kingston, ACT.ISBN 0-9752279-7-1

[Plebiscites-2] Handbook of the 44th Parliament (2014) "Part 5 - Referendums and Plebiscites - Plebiscite results". Parliamentary Library of Australia.

[1]

[2]

v t e Federal elections and referendums in Australia
Federal elections	1901 1903 1906 1910 1913 1914 1917 1919 1922 1925 1928 1929 1931 1934 1937 1940 1943 1946 1949 1951 1953 1954 1955 1958 1961 1963 1964 1966 1967 1969 1970 1972 1974 1975 1977 1980 1983 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010 2013 2016 2019 2022 Next
Constitutional Convention	1997
Referendums	1906 1910 1911 1913 1916 1917 1919 1926 1928 1937 1944 1946 1948 1951 1967 1973 1974 1977 1984 1988 1999 2017 2023
See also: By-elections

Background

Results

See also

References