The first referendum held in Australia - religion in schools

This video is about the first referendum held in Australia. It was a South Australian referendum in 1896 about the teaching of scripture in government schools and government financial support for religious schools. It was held on the first occasion that women could vote in South Australia. As education and religion were considered matters of particular interest to women, it was anticipated that the referendum would be successful. Women were certainly very active in the campaign, but was this assumption that they would swing the vote in favour of religion correct? Watch the video to find out.

[@davidwilkie9551]

Yeah-nah, let this one go through to the sense-in-common Keeper of Conscience. Everyone.

[@alfred-vz8ti]

can't do a referendum, without democracy. but you can do a plebiscite, in a monarchy. go for it!

[@ClayDe]

Thanks Ann, Looking forward to the next one.

[@nicegan8902]

Fascinating, thankyou!

[@billmago7991]

and here am I thinking everyone was into religion in the 19th century It would be interesting to see what the issues of the day were in 1896 in SA considering some of the controversy in the catholic church in SA in the 1870s.

[@shooterdownunder]

You can go to the trove website and find them

[@carolynedunsford6582]

godless lot the australian

[@FranklinBryan]

this is very interesting! thank you.

[@roxee57]

Wish we could have another one on the same topic Australia wide. Sadly adopting the language close the US 1st amendment wrt separation of church and state didn’t help us to keep it seperate here. So the religious ended up getting their way with funding and scripture thanks to our high court interpreting the slight change in wording to mean as long as the government funded all religions in schools we weren’t a theocratic state. 🙄