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The Federation
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The Suggestion
The first official suggestion of a federal project for the Australasian countrys in the south Pacific Ocean -
The Beggining
At first the colonies had little to do with each other. But in 1872 telegraph linked the colonies, and the idea of being 'Australian' began to be celebrated in songs and poems, and by the 1890s the idea of federation was becoming popular. People began to realise that for matters like defence, controlling immigration and economy, a nation would be stronger than individual colonies. -
The Meetings
The Premier of New South Wales, Henry Parkes, convinced the other premiers to discuss federation and in 1890 the Australasian Federation Convention , including representatives from New Zealand, was held in Melbourne. Next, the National Australasian Convention was held in Sydney in 1891. Each colony sent seven representatives. Work began on an Australian constitution. A draft was drawn up by a committee: Edmund Barton (New South Wales), Andrew Inglis Clark (Tasmania), Samuel Griffith (Queensland) -
The Path of Federation
During the 1890s, each colony sent representatives to special meetings, called conventions, to try to agree about how to form a new federation. Eventually the delegates agreed on the rules for a federal system and a draft constitution. The people of the colonies voted in a series of referendums to accept this new Australian Constitution. It was then passed as a British Act of Parliament in 1900, called the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, which came into effect on 1 January 1901. -
The Delay
Hard times across Australia drew people's attention away from federation for several years but in 1893 there was a conference of pro-federation groups. They agreed that a national meeting would redraft the constitution and that all Australians should have a chance to agree with the constitution by vote. -
Drafting the Constitution
The National Australasian Convention met in 1897 and in 1898. Each colony elected representatives to attend, except Queensland, which did not support federation. Committees debated each paragraph of the draft constitution, changes were made, and a new constitution was drafted by Edmund Barton, John Downer and Richard O'Connor. -
Creating The Nation
The major laws affecting Australia were still made by the British Parliament, which would have to make a new law to allow federation. In 1900 a delegation of flve, plus an observer from Western Australia, took the draft constitution to London. In May, the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 was passed by the British Parliament, and was signed by Queen Victoria on 9th July 1900, and so became law. -
The West Joins the Nation
About this time, there was a gold rush in Western Australia. Many people went there to seek their fortune. This contact with people from the other colonies began to change ideas about federation in Western Australia. In August 1900 a referendum was held, and the people of Western Australia voted to join the Commonwealth -
The Commonwealth of Australia is a Reality
The colonies became States, and a Federal Parliament was formed according to the Constitution. On 1st January 1901 the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed in Centennial Park, Sydney by Lord Hopetoun, the first Governor General. Edmund Barton was the first Prime Minister of Australia. -
A Nation Is Born
Edmund Barton as the first primeminister. The colonies became states of the common wealthof Australia. The people of Australia were begging to think that not a single country would be better. Food would be much cheaper and one defence force would mean they could defend better. -
Representation
The smaller colonies were afraid that the larger ones would have more say in a federal parliament, so the conference adopted the practice of the United States: in the House of Representatives each state is represented according to the number of residents; in the Senate each state has an equal number of representatives.