[Army Air Corps]

Wow! That sounds practically Orwellian.
So, your politicos can hold an election or referendum any time they please? Gads, that is a handy way for them to get away with quite a bit of chicanery. On the other hand, advance notice of an election issue does not always help the voter.
I recall a vote on the Applewhite reservoir when I lived in San Antonio. Half-way through construction, enviro-weenies compelled the city to hold a vote on whether or not to complete the project. That was a lulu of a referendum.

[KangarooJacqui]

That sounds practically Orwellian.

Yeah, Big Brother is watching all right... but Big Brother Australian-style is also something of an idiot. A few years back I got a letter from the Australian Electoral Commission (the body that oversees all this shenangigans) telling me I hadn't voted in the last State election and to either give them a valid reason (like, I was dead or something) or pay the $20 fine. Instead, I wrote them an indignant letter saying that yes I flaming well did vote, and could produce at least three witnesses to prove it, and that furthermore it wasn't my fault if they couldn't employ people who couldn't tick off a simple (if uncommon) surname on a list.

In the time-honoured manner of bureaucracies everywehere, I heard nothing else from them.