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The Federal Constitution
The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act (UK) was passed on 5 July 1900 and given Royal Assent by Queen Victoria on 9 July 1900. It was proclaimed on 1 January 1901 in Centennial Park, Sydney. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
Federation 1901
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
federation
The Commonwealth of Australia was established as a constitutional monarchy. ‘Constitutional’ because the Commonwealth of Australia was established with a written constitution, and ‘monarchy’ because Australia's head of state was Queen Victoria. http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-government/australias-federation -
A federation is the joining of states to become one nation.
The efforts to bring about federation in the mid-19th century were dogged by the lack of popular support for the movement. A number of conventions were held during the 1890s to develop a constitution for the Commonwealth. Sir Henry Parkes, Premier of New South Wales, was instrumental in this process. Fiji and New Zealand were originally part of this process, but they decided not to join the federation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
federation
The Conference of 1890 was organised at the instigation of Sir Henry Parkes. The account of the calling of the 1890 conference usually begins with Lord Carrington, the Governor of New South Wales, goading the ageing Henry Parkes at a luncheon on 15 June 1889. Parkes reportedly boasted that he "could confederate these colonies in twelve months". Carrington retorted, "Then why don't you do it? It would be a glorious finish to your life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
was it a good idea?
The individual colonies were somewhat wary of Federation. Smaller colonies in particular were wary of delegating power to a national government which they feared would be dominated by the more populous New South Wales and Victoria. Queensland feared the advent of national legislation (see White Australia Policy), which would restrict the importation of kanakas labourers and jeopardise its sugar cane industry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
having some meetings
In the early 1890s two meetings established the need for federation and set the framework for this to occur. An informal meeting attended by official representatives from the Australasian colonies was held in 1890. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
constructing federation
Although the Swiss Federal Constitution provided another example, it was inevitable that the delegates should look to the Constitution of the United States as the other major model of a federation within the English-speaking world. It gave just a few powers to the Federal government and left the majority of matters within the legislative competence of the States. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
The Federal Constitution
The site of a federal capital was disputed heavily between the two arch-rivals Sydney and Melbourne; the compromise was that a separate territory (the Australian Capital Territory) would be established within New South Wales to hold a new capital, while Parliament would sit in Melbourne until the new city was constructed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
Later constitutional conventions
The revival of the federal movement stemmed from the growth of federal leagues and nationalist organisations that were committed to federation, like the Australian Natives' Association. There were two so-called People's Conventions held in Corowa and Bathurst. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
In the making
Andrew Inglis Clark had given considerable thought towards a suitable constitution for Australia.[6] In May 1890, he travelled to London to conduct an appeal on behalf of the Government of Tasmania before the Privy Council. During this trip, he began writing a draft constitution, taking the main provisions of the British North America Act and its supplements up through 1890. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia
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federation
A serious movement for Federation of the colonies arose in the late 1880s, a time when there was increasing nationalism amongst Australians, the great majority of whom were native born. The idea of being "Australian" began to be celebrated in songs and poems. This was fostered by improvements in transport and communications, such as the establishment of a telegraph system between the colonies in 1872. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
parliaments takes a stand
The Parliament proposed at the Convention of 1891 was to adopt the nomenclature of the United States Congress. This proposal provided the broad outline of a Federal government. Its lower house was to be elected by districts drawn up on the basis of their population, while in the Senate there was to be equal representation for each "province". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
The Federal Constitution
The new constitution established a bicameral Parliament, containing a Senate and a House of Representatives. The office of Governor-General was established as the Queen's representative; initially, this person was considered a representative of the British government. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia
