What is the official name for the requirement that a referendum must gain both a national majority and a majority of states?

• A. A majority of voters
• B. Simple Majority
• C. Double Majority
• D. Universal Majority

Answer: (C)

Double majority means a referendum must be approved by both a national majority of voters and a majority of states. The national majority means more than 50% of votes across Australia, while the state majority requires a majority in at least four of the six states (territories don’t count toward this state tally). This setup ensures changes have broad support across the country and across different regions, not just in one area or by overall numbers alone. If the nationwide majority is reached but not enough states vote yes, or if enough states vote yes but the national majority isn’t achieved, the referendum fails. Other terms don’t capture both checks, so the correct label is double majority.