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1900's
Federation is celebrated in 1901, with the six colonies becoming the Commonwealth of Australia. The new Constitution gives the Commonwealth government power to legislate on matters relating to migration, naturalisation and aliens, but not Aborigines. The Commonwealth Immigration Restriction Act introduces the Dictation Test, making it easy to exclude non-British immigrants. In 1905 immigration recovers. State funds are allocated for advertising campaigns to attract British immigrants and sche -
1910
In 1910, the Victorian Aborigines Act extends the powers of the Board for the Protection of Aborigines to cover 'half-caste' as well as 'full-blood' Aborigines. Government schemes entice immigrants with the offer of rural land, but few make a successful living. The British Government queries the accuracy of Australian immigration information. Trade unions oppose assisted immigration schemes, arguing that they add to unemployment. In 1914, the outbreak of the First World War brings immigratio