1917 Australian conscription referendum
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.
1916 Australian conscription referendum
The 1916 Australian referendum, concerning how conscripted soldiers could be deployed, was held on 28 October 1916. It was the first non-binding Australian referendum, and contained one proposition, which was Prime Minister Billy Hughes' proposal to allow conscripted troops to serve overseas during World War I.
The New Southern Cross by Claude Marquet
Poster encouraging enlistments, 1915.
A poster for the anti-conscription "No" campaign by the Industrial Workers of the World, 1916
Artist Norman Lindsay produced a number of posters for the campaign.