MoAD and the Courtyard Cafe are open. Some exhibitions and rooms will be closed from September 2025 for essential building works. Learn more
Australians were asked to vote on whether men in National Service could be deployed to fight in World War One.
What is a referendum? Why should you care? We’ve broken down everything you need to know, from A to Z.
Explore political cartoons in Behind the Lines exhibitions online.
Your guide to the voting method we use in Australia.
The start of the election process explained.
In the 1951 referendum, Australia voted no on banning Communist ideology by the barest of margins.
The Museum of Australian Democracy acknowledges Australia's First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We respectfully acknowledge the role that First Nations people continue to play in shaping Australia's democracy. We also acknowledge the Ngunnawal, Ngunawal and Ngambri peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the region in which MoAD is located.
© Copyright 2025 Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House Privacy Statement