1954 New South Wales closing hour referendum

The question is the closing hour for premises and clubs licensed under the Liquor Act, 1912: 6 pm or 10 pm ?
Date	15 February 1954 (1954-02-15)
Results Votes  % Six o'clock p.m. 892,740 49.73% 'Ten o'clock p.m.' 902,532 50.27% Valid votes 1,795,272 97.72% Invalid or blank votes 41,794 2.28% Total votes 1,837,066 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 1,852,787 99.15%

A referendum concerning the closing hour for licensed premises and registered clubs was put to voters in New South Wales on 15 February 1954.

Background

Six o'clock closing was introduced in New South Wales during the First World War following the 1916 referendum. The 1916 vote was influenced by a recent riot involving drunken soldiers. In February 1916, troops mutinied against conditions at the Casula Camp. They raided hotels in Liverpool before travelling by train to Sydney, where one soldier was shot dead in a riot at Central Railway station. Although it was introduced as a temporary measure, the government brought in extensions and discussed putting the matter to a referendum. In 1923, however, without testing the matter by a popular vote, the Fuller Nationalist government enacted 6 pm as the closing time.

The question

The voting paper was:

The elector shall indicate his vote by placing the number "1" in the square opposite the closing hour for which he desires to give his first preference vote, and the number "2" in the remaining square.

Order of Preference	Closing hour
	Six o'clock
	Ten o'clock

Results

The referendum was narrowly in favour of 10:00 pm closing time.

Result 

Question		Votes	%
What should be the closing hour of licensed premises	6:00 pm	892,740	49.73
	10:00 pm	902,532	50.27
Total formal votes		1,795,272	97.72
Informal votes		41,794	2.28
Turnout		1,837,066	94.02

Aftermath

This was the second of three referendums concerning the closing hour for licensed premises and clubs.

See also

• Referendums in New South Wales