When a representative democracy resorts to a referendum to resolve a question, it is abandoning the keystone of its own system. A democracy receives its authority from the people, who in casting their votes are consenting to be governed by their peers.

Those elected representatives use their paid time to become informed on subjects and make decisions to the best of their judgement for the betterment of their electorate and the wider society. (At least that’s what’s supposed to happen). When representatives of an elected body obfuscate their responsibility to do this, by choosing to hold a referendum, they’re abandoning their democratic duties as elected representatives.