Originally Posted by
uglyphil
I do seriously doubt that the 1946 referendum would pass today. It passed then on the end of a world war and the depression. People still remembered what it was like to be destitute and how easy it was for them to become so. They realised that THEY needed a safety net and so voted it in.
Since then we have had decades of (relative) economic security and politicians on both sides (but mostly the coalition) demonising "dole bludgers" and welfare "rorters". Today those fallicies still run deep with many people and this would count against an affirmative vote. People tend to only vote yes if they believe it won't harm or effect them if it is about a group of "other" people. That is why it always easier to argue a no case in a debate.
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