Australian Federation

"​Surely what the Americans have done by war, Australians can bring about in peace."

- Sir Henry Parkes, 1889.

​The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation with a unified government.

​1901

Why Federate?

​Problems from difference:

​

• ​Different laws

• Different railway gauges

• Multiple Tariffs​

• ​Separate colonies despite a united Australian identity

​Benefits from Uniting:

​

• ​National defence

• ​Foreign policy

• ​Transport

• ​Trade

• Immigration controls

​So he did...

‘Believing, as I do, that it is essential to preserve the security and integrity of these colonies, then the whole of our forces should be amalgamated into one great Federal army. Seeing no other means of obtaining these ends, it seems to me that the time is close at hand when we ought to set about creating this great national Government for all Australia.’

​

​Sir Henry Parkes, Premier of NSW, 1889 (Tenterfield Oration)-

​Passing the baton...

​Edmund Barton [left] & Alfred Deakin [right]

• Sir Henry Parkes died in ​1896, before federation.

• Barton & Deakin both attended the Federation Convention that was sparked by Sir Henry Parkes' speech​.

• ​Both went on to become prime minister.

• Barton would eventually become a leader of sorts of the federation movement.

Multiple Choice

What was NOT a reason to federate?

• Creation of a defence force

• Nationalised railroads

• Nationalised healthcare

• Establishing immigration controls

• Rising national pride

​Australian Natives' Association (ANA)

• Was a group composed on white men born in Australia.

• Alfred Deakin was a prominent member of the Victorian branch.

• The group ​provided most of the organisational and financial base for a number of Federation leagues, which formed later to work towards a united Australia.

• ​In 1880 the ANA declared its support for federation.

• ​Australian born Europeans outnumbered immigrants for the first time during the 1880s.

1891: Federation Convention

• A federal Parliament comprising the Queen (represented by the Governor-General), a Senate and a House of Representatives. The 2 houses would have similar law-making powers—laws could only be passed or changed with the approval of both houses.

• The federal Parliament would have responsibility for areas which affected the whole nation, such as trade, defence, immigration, postal and telegraphic services, marriage and divorce.

• The House of Representatives was to be elected based on population, with members representing electorates made up of approximately the same number of people. Each state would elect the same number of representatives to the Senate. This would ensure states with larger populations would not dominate the Parliament.

• A high court to interpret the constitution and resolve disputes between the federal and state governments.

• The power to make and manage federal law was to be divided between the Parliament (who would make the law), the Executive (who would implement the law) and the Judiciary (who would interpret the law).

Multiple Choice

What two houses made up Federal Parliament?

• Congress and the Senate

• the House of Representatives and House of Lords

• the House of Commons and House of Lords

• the House of Representatives and the Senate

Multiple Choice

Which branch of the government is responsible for interpreting the law?

• Judiciary

• Executive

• Parliament

First Referendum (1898)

• ​In June 1898 referendums were held in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

  ​

• ​Australia was the first nation to take a proposed constitution to the people for approval.

  ​

• Queensland and Western Australia did not​ participate... why?

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​The Final steps

• ​After further changes the referendum of 1899 was a success.

• 1900- the Australia Constitution was made law by the B​ritish Parliament.

• Three weeks after this Western Australia held its own referendum to not be left behind.

• The Commonwealth of Australia was officially born on the 1st of January 1901.

• Edmund Barton elected as the first Prime Minister. ​

"The six states felt that they belonged together because they shared not only a continent, but also a British background. Federation achieved an independence of sorts for Australia. However, the desire for independence does not seem to have been the main driver of the Federation movement; it was more a desire for unification."

​

Source: ​https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/federation

​Coming up...

• ​Early decisions of the government

• Choosing the capital

• The white Australia policy

• World War I​

Multiple Choice

Who is this?

• Edmund Barton

• G. K. Seabrook

• Sir Henry Parkes

• Alfred Deakin

Multiple Choice

Who is this?

• George Washington

• Edmund Barton

• Alfred Deakin

• King George V

• Albo

Multiple Choice

True or False: The Number of senators representing a state depends on the population.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Open Ended

List 4 reasons why most Australians wished to federate.