This really is a great time for Australians to think and learn about our Constitution. It’s hard to miss that the media and news is focused daily on the referendum to be held later this year. Yet we know that many people are unsure about referendum processes and don’t know where to turn to get accurate and understandable information. Perhaps you have family and friends feeling a little confused around what a referendum is all about. Or they might simply want accurate answers to one aspect of the referendum picture such as whether voting is compulsory.
What is a referendum? Is a referendum important? How do referendums work? Do all eligible Australians have to vote? How do we get to voting on referendum day? Who runs a referendum?
These are just some of the burning questions for our Australian icons, Kanga and Emmy, setting off on their very first constitutional treasure hunt adventure. They discover just how important the Australian Constitution is to our system of government. And as they explore the rules and processes of a referendum we can’t help but feel the interest and excitement about the opportunity to participate in a historically significant event.
In our Fact sheets 1, 2, and 3, our constitutional experts answer your questions and more, providing the facts about referendums. After absorbing this information, you might like to then test your own understanding by taking our first referendum quiz.
We do hope you enjoy our first set of materials focussing on what is a referendum and how they work. We hope you find our presentation fun, engaging, and full of the sort of knowledge every day Australians are asking for. On your way through see if you can discover our first Australian constitutional treasure. The clues are all the way through the animation, fact sheets 1-3, and the quiz! Give us your answer on our website registration “what’s on your mind” form making you a part of our Civics Australia team from day one. You might like to come up with your own questions about the referendum process that you want us to answer for you. And if you like what we are doing please introduce us to all you know who might be interested in discovering what the heck a referendum really is!
The Answer to the First Australian Constitutional Treasure will be announced with Constitutional Adventure 2: Why do we have referendums? This will launch with the next animation and accompanying materials on Thursday 13 July.
