from the portions of the surplus revenue of the Commonwealth payable to the several States, or if such surplus is insufficient, or if there is no surplus, then the deficiency or the whole amount shall be paid by the several. States; The interest and charges 'payable by the Commonwealth, in respect of the debts of a State taken over, may be deducted and retained from any moneys payable to the State under this Constitution, and shall, to the extent to which they are not so deducted and retained,' be paid by the State to the Commonwealth. Referendum results The referendum was not approved by a majority of voters, and a majority of the voters was achieved in only three states.Question: Do you approve of the proposed law for the alteration of the Constitution entitled 'Constitution Alteration (Finance) 1909'? See also Politics of Australia History of Australia References Further reading Standing Committee on Legislative and Constitutional Affairs (1997) Constitutional Change: Select sources on Constitutional change in Australia 1901–1997. Australian Government Printing Service, Canberra. Bennett, Scott (2003). Research Paper no. 11 2002–03: The Politics of Constitutional Amendment Australian Department of the Parliamentary Library, Canberra. Australian Electoral Commission (2007) Referendum Dates and Results 1906 – Present AEC, Canberra. Referendum (Surplus Revenue) 1910 referendums 1910