The 1917 Australian referendum was held on 20 December 1917. It contained one question.Are you in favour of the proposal of the Commonwealth Government for reinforcing the Australian Imperial Force oversea?
Poster for the Yes campaign 1917
"Keep Australia White" poster used during the 1917 conscription referendum. The "No" campaign claimed that conscripted soldiers sent overseas would be replaced by non-white labour.
"The Death Ballot", a campaign poster for the "No" vote.
"Facts for Farm Workers", a campaign poster for the "Yes" vote.
In November 1917 during World War I, the Australian Government conducted a raid on the Queensland Government Printing Office in Brisbane. The aim of the raid was to confiscate any copies of the Hansard, the official parliamentary transcript, which documented anti-conscription sentiments that had been aired in the state's parliament.
The Government Printing Office in 1920
T. J. Ryan, Premier of Queensland in 1917