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| 1891, March–April |
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| The FIRST AUSTRALASIAN FEDERAL CONVENTION met at Sydney, under the presidency of Sir Henry Parkes. The members were chosen from the colonial parliaments and included most of the outstanding political figures of Australia and New Zealand. The convention worked out a draft constitution, which later served as a basis for the federal system, but the scheme had to be dropped because of the opposition of New South Wales. The result was renewed agitation for federation, especially by popular societies and leagues (beginning in 1893). The great financial crisis of 1893, the growth of the White Australia sentiment, and the emergence of Australian nationalism contributed further to the desire for union. | 1 |
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| 1892–94 |
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| Great shipping, mining, and shearing strikes resulted in failure, but thereby came to mark an important turning point in the development of the labor movement. In several colonies the trade unions embarked upon political activity and soon became crucial factors in the political situation. | 2 |
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| 1894, Dec. 21 |
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| South Australia introduced women's suffrage, which was later adopted by the other states (Western Australia, 1899; New South Wales, 1902; Tasmania, 1903; Queensland, 1905; Victoria, 1909). At the same time South Australia established compulsory arbitration of industrial disputes, another experiment in the settlement of labor problems. | 3 |
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| 1897–1900 |
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| THE ACHIEVEMENT OF UNION. A federal convention met at Hobart in Jan. 1897 (ten members from each colony except Queensland). This assembly reconsidered the draft constitution of 1891 and finally evolved the arrangement that was later accepted. The federation drew on the British and U.S. systems of government, although residual powers were kept by the states. The federated states were to be called the Commonwealth of Australia, and the new federal government was to be established in a new capital city to be determined later. The federal government was to have control of foreign affairs, defense, trade, tariffs, posts and telegraphs, currency, naturalization, marriage and divorce, pensions, etc. At the head was to be a governor-general, appointed by the Crown. Parliament was to be bicameral: the upper house (Senate) was to consist of six members from each state, elected directly for a six-year term, one-half renewable every three years; the House of Representatives was to be directly elected on the basis of populational districts. A high court was provided for as guardian of the constitution. | 4 |
| On June 3–4, 1898, the draft constitution was submitted to four colonies for popular vote. Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania were overwhelmingly in favor. New South Wales was opposed, and Queensland and Western Australia did not hold a referendum. In Jan. 1899, a conference of premiers agreed on amendments to the proposed constitution, which was then (May–Sept. 1899) passed by referendum in all colonies except Western Australia. After amending the bill so as to allow appeals to the British privy council, the British Parliament passed the Constitution Act, which was given royal assent on July 9, 1900. Western Australia then decided to join the federation (July 31). | 5 |
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| 1901, Jan. 1 |
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| The COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA came into being. The first cabinet was led by Edmund Barton, ardent federationist and protectionist. The opposition, led by George H. Reid, favored a tariff for revenue only. The Labour Party formed the third group. Led by John C. Watson and better disciplined than the other parties, it was able, from the outset, to control the balance, and thus to carry out in the commonwealth the program of state socialism already introduced in the states. In 1901 New South Wales introduced conciliation and arbitration courts and adopted a scheme for old-age pensions. The Labour Party was particularly determined in the matter of immigration restriction, to which all parties, indeed, were committed. | 6 |
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| 1899–1902 |
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| Each colony, and in 1902 the commonwealth, sent troops to the South African War. About 1,400 Australians died. | 7 |
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| 1901, Dec. 23 |
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| The Immigration Restriction Act (federal) provided that an immigrant, on demand, must demonstrate ability to pass a test in a European language (changed in 1905 to “a prescribed language” to spare Japanese susceptibilities). In this way Asians and, if desired, Europeans could be excluded at will. The federal government at the same time put a stop to the importation of Kanakas into Queensland (they were to be repatriated by Dec. 1906). A high tariff on sugar protected the sugar growers from competition from outside. | 8 |
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| 1902 |
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| The federal tariff placed the whole continent on the protectionist system. | 9 |
| Women's suffrage was established for all federal elections. | 10 |
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| 1902–4 |
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| Alfred Deakin, Barton's deputy, became prime minister, dependent on support of the Labour Party. When the latter abandoned him, Watson formed the first Labour cabinet (1904), which, however, was able to maintain itself for only a few months. Watson was succeeded by Reid. | 11 |
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| 1904–5 |
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| Reid governed with support of the non-Labour representatives. The combination did not work very smoothly and the Reid cabinet was followed by a Deakin ministry. | 12 |
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| 1905–8 |
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| The Deakin ministry enjoyed the support of the Labour Party, now led by Andrew Fisher. | 13 |
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| 1906, Sept. 1 |
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| British New Guinea became an Australian federal possession and was renamed Papua (the Portuguese name). The territory had been but little developed (white population about 600), but was regarded as vital for defense, especially in view of the rise of Japan and its victory over Russia. | 14 |
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