• Nationalist Ideas

There was a growing sense that Australians shared a common identity and should form one nation. Groups like the Australian Natives’ Association (ANA) supported this idea, who campaigned for Federation through public meetings and lectures.

• Restricting Immigration

Some politicians and trade unions supported Federation because it would allow for a single immigration policy. This would make it easier to control who entered Australia, something individuals colonies struggled to do on their own.

Against Federation

• Loss of Independence

Before 1901, each colony was self‑governing. Federation meant transferring some authority to a new national government, and many feared this would reduce their independence. New South Wales, already economically strong with a stable democracy, worried that joining a federation might limit its freedom to govern itself. Smaller colonies such as Tasmania and Western Australia were concerned they could be dominated by larger colonies like NSW and Victoria.

• Economic Disagreement: Free Trade vs Protectionism

Federation also raised questions about how trade between the colonies should operate. At the time, customs duties (taxes) were charged on goods moving across colonial borders. NSW, led by Premier George Reid, supported free trade, arguing that tariffs should be removed to allow goods to move freely. On the other hand, Victoria, supported by manufacturers and trade unions, preferred protectionism, using high taxes to shield local industries, jobs and wages from cheaper overseas imports. These conflicting economic views created significant tension and made agreement on Federation more difficult to achieve.

Key developments leading to Federation in Australia

1880s

External threats and internal barriers

France and Germany were trying to expand their influence in the South Pacific, so the Australian colonies believed they would be stronger if they united.

At the same time, trade and movement between the colonies were increasing, but so was rivalry between the separate, self-governing colonies.

1885

Federal Council of Australasia is formed

The separate colonies did not have the law making power to establish an intercolonial body, so the British Government passed the Federal Council of Australasia Act 1885 to establish a Federal Council. With it’s first meeting in 1886, the Council discussed shared issues, particularly in regards to defence. However, the Council had limited power and no independent funding, which meant it relied on the colonies to follow its decisions. NSW refused to join, which weakened its effectiveness.

1889

Tenterfield Oration

NSW Premier, Sir Henry Parkes, delivered a significant speech in Tenterfield, calling for the Australian colonies to unite. He argued that the colonies faced growing external threats and needed a national government.

This speech highlighted the limitations of the Federal Council and reignited the Federation movement, now with the support of NSW.

On 6th February 1890, Parkes went on to make his famous statement that “the crimson thread of kinship runs through us all.

1891

First National Australasian Convention held in Sydney

With Parkes as the Chairman, delegates elected by each colony’s parliament met to discuss Federation. A draft constitution was written, largely by Sir Samuel Griffith based on a draft by Inglis Clark for a new national government to be called ‘The Commonwealth of Australia.’

However, the plan did not succeed because of disagreements between colonies, particularly over economic issues such as free trade and protectionism.

1891-4

Economic Depression

The economic depression of the 1890s helped build support for Federation because it exposed how poorly the separate colonies could manage a shared crisis. The hardship showed that the colonies were economically connected but lacked a unified approach, leading many to argue that a federal government with consistent policies and free trade between colonies would create a stronger, more stable economy.

1893

Corowa Conference

The Corowa Conference led to an important change in the Federation process. Bendigo lawyer John Quick proposed that the Constitution should be created by elected delegates and then voted on by the people in a referendum. This idea shifted power from colonial parliament to the people, giving them sovereignty and making the process more democratic.

This plan was accepted in 1895, and adopted by four colonial parliaments: NSW, VIC, SA and TAS.

1894

South Australia grants women the right to vote

The decision to grant women the right to vote and stand for Parliament was an important development leading to Federation because it showed that major democratic reform was possible within the colonies and created pressure for a more consistent national voting system. It highlighted differences between colonial electorates and encouraged discussion about broader political rights in a future Commonwealth.

1887-8

Second National Australasian Convention met three times

The Second National Australasian Convention met three times, bringing together elected delegates from each colony under the leadership of Edmund Barton to draft the Australian Constitution. Using the earlier draft from the first convention as a starting point, delegates carefully debated each clause. The final document established a federal system of government, a bicameral parliament, and a mechanism for resolving disagreements between the two houses, drawing on both British and American constitutional ideas.

Delegates also agreed that, for the first federal election, voters would keep the same voting rights they held in their own colonies. This meant that women in South Australia (who already had the right to vote and stand for Parliament) were able to participate in federal elections, making them among the first women in the world to vote in a national parliament.

1898-9

Referendums: The people vote

The proposed Constitution was put to voters in each colony through a series of referendums. In 1898, most colonies held their first vote. Although a majority supported the Constitution, it did not meet the required approval level in New South Wales, and neither Queensland nor Western Australia held a referendum that year.

After minor amendments were made, a second round of referendums took place in 1899, this time including Queensland. All colonies except Western Australia voted “Yes.” Western Australia later held its own referendum in 1900, approved the Constitution, and joined the Federation.

1900 - 1901

Federation Achieved

Britain still held legal authority over the Australian colonies, so the draft Constitution required approval from the British Parliament. This approval was granted when the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act passed in 1900, giving legal effect to the new federal system. Federation officially commenced on 1 January 1901, uniting the colonies as the Commonwealth of Australia.