The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has called on political parties of all persuasion to support proposed amendments to the Referendums (Machinery Provisions) Act that would remove existing constraints on public funding of referendums ahead of the potential referendum on constitutional recognition in September.

The proposed changes to the Act were introduced before Parliament by Special Minister for State Gary Gray earlier last week.

The introduction of the changes follows a meeting held between ALGA President Felicity Ann-Lewis and the Minister.

Mayor Lewis said that the local government sector had long argued for the need for changes to funding arrangement of public education campaigns, as well as funding for well-developed Yes and No cases for referendums.

"Funding arrangements for the last referendum held in this country on the Republic  in 1999 provided $19.5 million of public funding, with $7.5 million going to either side of the republic debate and $4.5 million spent on a neutral information campaign over a period of five months.  The same funding arrangements should apply to all referendums," Mayor Lewis said.

"Following research that shows that there is limited understanding of constitutional matters in the Australian community, we have called for public information funding in our submissions to the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Local Government and the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Local Government.

"ALGA has also proposed that funding be available for the campaigns for the Yes and No cases to ensure that the arguments in favour and against the referendum question are comprehensively put before the people to ensure an informed debate and vote. "

Currently the Act also requires a Yes/No pamphlet to be delivered to every elector.  The amendments would require the pamphlets to go to every household, as recommended by the House of Representatives standing committee on legal and constitutional affairs.  In addition, they give the AEC wider powers to provide information electronically.

Another amendment broadens the capacity of the Commonwealth to spend money on promoting, educating and informing the public about the case for and against any possible referendum, which may be held at the same time as the next federal election.