BY LAURA MACLEOD

Photo Album of the Federation Period

Photo 1: Timeline of the Federation Period (Gudenian,

Rockall & Mayer 1971)

The Federation period was a very exciting time for many people. It describes the period during which Australia transformed from a colony of Britain to the Commonwealth of Australia, complete with its own Constitution and democratically elected Government. This period commenced with the establishment of the Federal Australian Council in 1883 and concluded with the formation of the Commonwealth of Australia on January 1st 1901 (Gudenian, Rockall & Mayer 1971, pp.1422-1423). A flow chart of this period is set out in photo 1.

On 8 December 1883, the State Premiers agreed to establish the Federal Australian Council to consider national issues such as defence, Pacific relations and quarantine. It met every two years, had restricted powers and was relatively ineffective as NSW was not a constant member (Gudenian, Rockall & Mayer 1971, p.1423).

Photo 2: Sir Henry Parkes (Queensland Newspaper 2001)

On 25 October 1889, NSW Premier Sir Henry Parkes (photo 2) called for the Federal Australian Council to be abolished and replaced with a national government for all Australia (Chan, Clark, James, Kelly, Munro & Swivel 1993, p.106). Parkes continued to promote this idea and eventually a Constitutional Convention took place in 1891. This convention eventually approved a draft constitution and agreed upon a basic form of federal government.

Photo 3: The Sub-committee Sir John Downer, Edmund Barton and Alfred Deakin (Gudenian, Rockall & Mayer

1971)

However, the onset of an economic depression slowed the process with parochial state based concerns being placed ahead of Parkes’ vision of a coordinated approach on national issues. In fact, Sir Henry Parkes died in 1896 before the second constitutional convention took place in 1897 in Adelaide. Eventually, a constitution redrafted by Sir John Downer, Edmund Barton and Alfred Deakin (photo 3) was approved for submission to various state electors for approval by referendum. Despite some rejections along the way, approval of all states to join Federation was finally sealed in September 1900 when Western Australia finally agreed to join. In that year the British parliament approved the constitution (Gudenian, Rockall & Mayer 1971, p1422).

Photo 4: Centennial Park, Sydney where the official celebration of Federation was established, there were so many

people there (Dynamic Learning Online n.d)

On January 1 1901, Edmund Barton was sworn in at Sydney’s Centennial Park (photo 4) as Australia’s first Prime Minister, choosing representatives from all states for his Cabinet ministers. Australia’s first Federal Election took place on 30 March 1901 and by 1 April it was clear that Edmund Barton had been returned as Prime Minister.

Photo 5: The greatest moment in history, the opening of the first

parliament in Melbourne (Bid or Buy 2009)

On 10 May, the first parliament was opened in Melbourne (photo 5). On this day, Sir Henry Parkes vision of a democratically elected federal government to rule on national issues had truly been realised (Chan, Clark, James, Kelly, Munro, Swivel 1993, pp.146-147).

References

Bid or Buy 2009, Opening of the First Parliament Imagery, http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/14549024/Australia_1_Pound_1898_Melbourne_Gold_Oro_OR_NLM_665.html [Accessed 4 November 2009].

Chan, G, Clark, L, James, N, Kelly, A, Munro, S, Swivel, M 1993, Australia Through Time, Lifetime Distributers, Castle Hill, NSW.

Dynamic Learning Online n.d, Sydney Centennial Park Imagery, http://www.learningonline.com.au/topics/7/books/42 [Accessed 4 November 2009].

Gudenian, Rockall & Mayer 1971, Australia’s Heritage: The Making of a Nation Part 60, Paul Hamlyn Pty Ltd, Dee Why West, NSW.

Queensland Newspaper 2001, Sir Henry Parkes Imagery, http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/extras/federation/Timelines/CMFedTimelineNat.htm [Accessed 4 November 2009].