Hats off to our federal Constitution! Conversations about our Australian federal Constitution with John Christensen

Overview Setting the scene Clark and Griffith essentially Colonies send delegation authors of 1891 draft Constitution to London for UK Bill English law arrives in to give draft legal Australia + English ideas of 1891 draft foundation for our government organisation current federal Constitution UK Bill passed but commencement delayed Early federal ideas did not ‘take’ pending Proclamation Australian colonies Federation movement WA approves draft at referendum gradually established falters and rises again Constitution Act proclaimed to around Australian coast Colonial governments distracted commence on 1 January 1901 From mid-1850s most colonies by 1892 recession & bank failures under ‘responsible government’ Grass roots movement From 1860s early isolation of begins, Australasian Can we bring our colonies begins to break down Federation League 1893 Constitution home? German Protectorate Corowa Conference influential Australia is independent, in northern Papua New Womens’ movement - vote in SA, but our Constitution still Guinea, 1884 raises fears 1894 - wider political activism sits in a UK statute Colonial Conference in Bathurst ‘Peoples After consultation & expert Melbourne, 1890 Convention’, 1896 advice we could pass a referendum to relocate The 1891 Constitutional the Constitution to an 1897 and 1898 Convention Australian document Constitutional The document would be 45 delegates, including 3 from NZ, Conventions printed in one piece so that at Convention in Sydney, 1891 NZ no longer part of federation it might be displayed like Delegates’ range of personalities movement & Qld not represented the Bayeaux Tapestry and skills: Deakin, Reid & Forrest Colonies now elect delegates (in The Commonwealth, States Challenges : ‘small’ v WA appointed by both Houses) and Territories would appoint ‘large’ colonies and ‘free citizens of note to come trade’ v ‘protection’ New draft produced together at a ceremony, and Plan or model for federation: Draft approved by referendum by their signatures, witness the US + Westminster (England) in all colonies except WA document as our Constitution

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Henry Parkes Alfred Deakin George Houstoun Reid John Forrest

Robert Randolph Garran Samuel Walker Griffith Andrew Inglis Clark Edmund Barton

Richard Edward O’Connor Isaac Alfred Isaacs Henry Bournes Higgins Sir Josiah Symon

Melbourne Conference 1890 ‘Lucinda’ Sydney Convention 1897