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Home , January 1901

29 January 5 April June Late June 1899 1900 1898

I suggest a Premiers’Premier meeting Reid wrote The Premiers’ The premiers discussed But there was one last point … (We might as Barton workedSection out 74 to make changesto to thethe other Conference began. changes to the Constitution. a middle way … the High Court must be the well) pack up Constitution thatpremiers my … The High Court final court of appeal! and go home. of may colony will accept. The national No – decide which court capital must Melbourne! NO! YOU MUST ALLOW I have be in . APPEALS TO THE BRITISH an idea! cases can appeal PRIVY COUNCIL. to the British Privy Council.

S orry – no How about press allowed. in between?

It’s a secret meeting. They agreed on a new capital The premiers agreed – including those city at least 160 kilometres July 2 ofFebruary and .June – July away from Sydney. They argued for weeks, until … Everyone agreed at last.

The colonies voted again on In Western Australia, the The British Parliament passed Back in Western Australia … Yes – the the changed Constitution. parliament couldn’t decide whether the Constitution Bill – and miners in The premiers’ ‘secret’ to hold a referendum, but … Federation was achieved. Kalgoorlie conference wound up. Read all will riot if Federation about it! Hooray!! we don’t. can go ahead without them. We’d better let the people vote Yes. on Federation.

With these changes, my colony will vote I should yes next time. hope so. Then Queensland voted On 31 , the people December ‘yes’ in September. March 1 January 1901 there voted for Federation, too.

London, ’s Centennial Park, The Commonwealth of Australia came into being. Barton, Deakin, office, London Sydney was its first Prime Minister. A majority of Australians Kingston and James had voted for Federation … Dickson sailed for England. Gentlemen, we must make some changes to this Constitution.

We will need to explain the Constitution to the British Parliament.

Mr Chamberlain, what We need to But the Australian shall we do about meet them people have voted the Australians? face to face. 22 for it, sir! 23

… but the British Parliament still Yes, so they’ll They argued back and forth The Australian people celebrated. had to approve the Constitution. vote for it. and slowly the British gave in. What happened next? The White Australia policy Eyewitness words The White Australia policy became At Federation, Edmund Barton was appointed caretaker Prime official when the Immigration Restriction To say it (Federation) Minister until Federal elections were held on 29 and 30 . Act was passed in 1901. The law forced ❝was fated to be (certain to Barton won his seat and became Australia’s first elected Prime some immigrants to pass a dictation test happen) is to say nothing Minister. Alfred Deakin became the Attorney-General. Women in before they were allowed to enter the and Western Australia were allowed to vote in the country. The test could be in any … any one of a thousand Federal election of 1901. Women in other states had to wait until language – this was up to the minor incidents (events) 1902 for the same right. Indigenous Australians were given the vote immigration officer – and English was might have deferred in 1962. rarely chosen. Naturally, few people passed. This test was used to keep (delayed) it for years … non-British people out. The policy was To those who watched its Opening of Federal Parliament eased after World War II when many inner workings, followed The opening of the first Federal Parliament was held in the Exhibition European refugees and workers were Buildings in Melbourne on 9 . The Duke and Duchess of York accepted into Australia. It was finally its fortunes … [the fact came from England to represent the Queen, and were greeted by 12 000 Henry Parkes hadended in the 1970s and is widely that Federation actually invited guests. The Federal Parliament continued to meet in Melbourne thought to have been an unfair policy. happened] must always until Parliament House in Canberra was built in 1927. the idea of joining A new capital city appear to have been … a Artist Tom Roberts painted this picture, Opening of the First Parliament of all the colonies As agreed in the Australian series of miracles. the Commonwealth of Australia, in 1903. The massive painting includes Constitution, a new capital city was Alfred Deakin, 1900 250 individual portraits. together in a ❞ planned between Melbourne and federation to formSydney. A site was found around 300 kilometres south-west of Sydney, and in one nation. It took1910, the Australian Capital Territory was established. The city of Canberra many years, butwas the designed by American architect struggle towardsWalter Burley-Griffin. The first Parliament House was officially federation is oneoccupied of by the Federal Parliament on 9 May 1927. ‘Old Parliament House’ the key stories wasin used until 1988, when the current Australia’s history.Parliament House was built.

Today, Australia is a thriving, multicultural country, where people from many different backgrounds are Australian citizens.

Henry Parkes had the 24 joining all the colonies 25 together in a federation to form one nation. It federation is one of the key stories in Australia’s history. The effects of Federation A new national spirit After Federation, a national spirit grew Federation was one of the most important events in Australia’s strongly. People began to believe there Alfred Deakin? history and had wide-ranging effects. were things that all Australians had in Alfred Deakin became a leading member of common, such as mateship, equality theWhat Australian ever happened government to and … served three and a fair go for all. Australian Army terms as Prime Minister, between 1903 and Within Australia soldiers showed that spirit when they 1910. He remained a strong, wise leader until Federation provided a strong, central government which had the power and fought at Gallipoli in 1915, and the he retired from politics in 1913. Deakin died after a long illness on 7 October 1919 the money to do many things that separate colonies could not do on their Anzac legend was born. Non-European Henry Parkes had and was given a state funeral. own. Old age pensions were paid for the first time. Interstate roads, shipping migrants were kept out of the and railways now worked under one set of Federal laws, and border taxes the idea of joiningcountry under the White Australia Alfred Deakin was responsible for were banned. Postage and other communications were unified across policy, but after it was abolished, establishing the country’s most Australia. Disagreements between workers and bosses were now dealt with all the colonies Australia grew into a strong important bodies, such as the in an Australian industrial court, and decisions made by the court applied and multicultural nation. High Court and the Australian throughout the country. together in a Navy, and is remembered as a federation to form great prime minister.

one nation. It took June–September 1899 4 March 1897 1 January 1901 Timeline All the colonies but Western Australia many years, Electionsbut theare held The Commonwealth July 1893 vote ‘yes’ to the changed Constitution. This timeline shows the main events for delegates to of Australia is officially Edmund 17–21 relating to the struggle for Federation. struggle towardsthe Federation inaugurated in Sydney. Barton forms November Convention. 29 January– 6 February 1890 a Federation 1896federation is one of 2 February 1899 League in 1881 Henry Parkes The Australasian The People’s 22 March–23 April 1897 A ‘secret conference’ is July 1900 Sydney. Across the key stories in suggests a Federal Federation Federal The first session of the held in Melbourne. The The British Australia, Council made up Conference is held 27 April 1896 Convention Federation Convention premiers make changes Parliament passes other Leagues Australia’s history. of representatives in Melbourne. Henry Parkes dies. is held in is held in Adelaide to to the Constitution to the Constitution follow. from each colony. Bathurst. write a new Australian satisfy New South . Bill. Constitution.

1880 1890 1895 1900

1886 The March– 24 October 1889 2 March– 20 January– Federal Council 31 July– Barton, Deakin and others 31 July 1900 In the Tenterfield 9 April 1891 17 March 1898 meets in Hobart. 1 August 1893 debate the Constitution Bill Western Australia votes Oration, Parkes The National The third session of the The Corowa with Joseph Chamberlain in for the Constitution proposes a Australasian Federation Convention Conference is London, England. and joins Federation. Federation Convention is held in Melbourne. Conference. is held to write held. The Corowa Plan calls for a an Australian 2–24 September 1897 3–4 June 1898 9 May 1901 Constitution. new Federation Convention with The second session of the , and South Australia The first Federal a desperate powerelected members. Federation Convention is vote for Federation and the Constitution. Parliament opens 26 struggle between the held in Sydney. Only votes ‘no’. in Melbourne. 27 military and the goverment