Federation

Australian Federation

Federation happened = 1901 due to economic + social events, and through elections:
-Increasing ‘Australian’ nationalism by 1890
-Economic benefits (including actions of individuals
-To increase defense of Australia in terms of immigration + military

Not everyone in colonies support + each factor = have opposition

Leading to nationalism

1872 = Completion of the Telegraph Line → faster communication between colonies → ↑ nationalism.
-1877 = extend to WA

By 1889 – All major capitals (Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane) linked by rail.

-↑ travel, ↑ belief in Australian nationalism
-↑ travel across Aus → increased anger abt disunity btwn colonies → increased calls for federation

ANA, ↑ Australian nationalism

Founded in 1871, but grew rapidly after the 1883 annexation crisis.
-1880 declared support in federation

April 1883 – Queensland invaded New Guinea block German expansion → Britain order return to land → Germans expansion → protests in Australia.
-demonstrates Britain not care abt Aus security + no protect

↑ Belief in white Australia’ policy + identity focused on British descent.
-restrict immigration for non euro + main focus on chinese in anger from actions during gold rush

Sports Nationalism

1878 = first ‘representative’ Australian national cricket team began = tour
-Successful, 9 wicket wins against London Cricket club, beating those who ruled the nation

1896, Edwin Flack = first Australian Olympian.
- only athlete, with victories in the 800 and 1500m, ↑ nationalism
- first Aus gold medalist
- victory = factor in uniting colonies as nation

Trade Before Federation

B4 fed = colonies = separate nation
-implemented tariffs on goods from other colonies → colonial governments ↑ money

Problems (restricted trade, ↑ rivalry)
-Movement btwn colonies = restricted → increase price of goods + slow creation of nationwide trade + business.

Free trade

→ Free trade to break down barriers + raise Aus economy = wealthier nation + ↑ STD living

Free Trade = create single market across Aus, strengthening the markets + economy

-Henry Parkes, 24 Oct 1889 = Tenterfield Oration = speech promote free trade + create ‘great national government for all Australia’

Protectionism + delay federation

Most colonies (except NSW) supported Protectionism (tariffs to protect local industries from ext comp) → local goods = cheaper
-Vic = major support cus helped emerging industries during the economic boom

Tariffs = base of financial structure of small colonies

Smaller colonies (Tasmania, WA) feared economic interest from Vic, NSW = come first = business + colony suffer

Racism + immigration

Gold rush = sudden influx of immigrants to Aus → led strong anti-‘White Anglo Saxon Protestant’ (WASP) esp aim toward chinese
-each state 1890 = anti chinese laws

ANA= Key to supporting immigration restriction, stop WASP wages decrease

ALP = support immigration restictions
- feared increases cheap labour = ↓ wages

Before federation Aus defense

Each colonies had their own small defense force
-different commanders + no unity btwn them

1880s, there were only 2 battleships, therefore Aus = rely on British navy 4 proctection

if colonies = invaded, they too weak indiv to defend the “nation”

Fears of invasion

During 19th cent, Aus = paranoid foreign invasion

1860-1901 = fear of Russian invasion
-1864 London times = wrote “Colonies of Aus on the brink of invasion” , raising call for ↑ defence

↑ amount of forts = built in NSW + foreign warshi = denied entry @melb ports

1883 = ↑ fears German + French expansion in Aus

Rivarly btwn NSW + VIC

There was rivalry btwn NSW + Vic, only ↑ by end of 19th cent

1888 = Melb = Aus 2nd largest city in british emp → Melb exhibition (attract 2mll visitos) + showcase new sci + tech in world → ↑ resentment from NSW cus they were first colony

States worried about fed

SA = colony est by free settlers only → democratic rights that wern’t anywhere else in Aus
-worried that w/fed, they could loose rights

1890 WA= granted right to self rule, did not want to loose independence to a fed parliament

Tas + WA = also worry that NSW/VIC = place their own interest first in fed aus
-However, NSW+VIC thought it was unfair that larger tax income = be share w/ smaller states