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Australia needs protection
France and Germany took over parts of New Guinea. Australia feared they where next, and thought that they needed a bigger defence army, to protect the entire continent. -
Famous Tenterfield Speech
Sir Henry Parkes made a speech in Tenterfield, New South Wales. He talked about why Australia should Federate. Reasons included, that they needed a bigger defence army because one big army is better than small colony armies. He suggested that they should call Australia home and not Britian. -
The Australian Constiution
From the chairman ship of Sir Henry Pakes, a draft constiution was writen under the name of the commenwealth of Australia, Sir Edmund Barton helped write this draft constitution. -
Corowa Conference
A conference was held at Corowa, John Quick suggested that each colony should select a representative to write a new constitution and that the poeple sould vote, yes or no to the new laws in a referendum. -
Right to vote
SA was the first colony that allowed Ladies to vote. -
premiers conference
In 1895 the premiers in each colony agreed with John Quick's idea of a constitution being written by representatives from each colony. -
Bad News
Death of Sir Henry Parkes -
Period: to
Sir Samuel Griffith
Sir Samuel Griffith was the premier of Queensland and also the main author of the constitution at the federal convention of 1897 to 1898 -
The First Referendum
The first referendum was held. New South Wales voted no. Yes votes in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. No referendums where held in Queensland and Western Australia. -
George Reid's Speech
George Reid gave a speech critising the constitution but he said he would vote for it. George Reid fought against federation, and worked in New South Wales as an opposition leader.
He held a referendum in this year. -
Second Referendum
Another referendum was held as there was a change in the draft constitution.Yes votes Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. No referendum held in Western Australia. -
Fact
Lord Hopetoun officially became governor general. -
Referendum
The consitution was accepted by Western Australia -
The Constitution Act
The Constitution act was signed by Queen Victora. -
Prime Minster
Lord Hopetoun appointed Sir Edmund Barton as first prime minister. He was also Australia's first judge, he was born on 18 January 1849 -
Federation
The six colonies that federated, formed the nation of Australia. Each state had they're own parliament, which could make its own laws. But the constitution said that a new federal parliment had precedence over certain laws passed by the states. -
First Commomwealth Parliment
The Duke of York opens the first Commonwealth Parliment in Melbourne.