Australian Federation, 1901
A set of study materials for Years 7-10 Australian History
These notes are included on the educational multimedia CD-ROM Oz I.D. -The Search for Australian Heritage and Identity published by the Board of Studies NSW.
| 1. Reasons for federation
| 2. Background to Colonial politics
|
| 3. A Classroom Simulation | 4.
Sydney in 1901 |
The 1899 Referendum in NSW - A Classroom Simulation
This was the newspaper headline and article announcing the results of the referendum in NSW on June 21 1899.
The Referendum
Commonwealth Bill Accepted
Triumphant Majority
Yes - 101,200
Immense Enthusiasm
A Stubbornly-Fought Battle
It was with many fears and much misgiving that the federalists in the early hours of yesterday morning heard the ominous pattering of rain, and saw the city and suburbs enveloped in a fog which the sun was vainly endeavouring to piece. Above all it was a dull, grey, lowering sky that betokened a wet day. "...the sun for sorrow will not show its head", was the apparently apt quotation of a jubilant anti-federalist; but his jubilation was short-lived. After the sun had risen a few degrees above the horizon the fog disappeared as if by magic...
This magical change was regarded by federalists as a happy augury... "Give us a fair run", they said, "and we have no fear of the result". The last hope of the anti-federalists - a pouring wet day - having disappeared as thoroughly as the mists were dispelled by the sun, they... put their hands with greater determination to the task of using every means in their power to reduce the federalist majority. ...considerable ingenuity was displayed by the anti-federalists in the hope of damaging the the federal vote. The most pretentious effort was the appearance in the streets of a lorry carrying a canvas frame on which was painted a wonderful picture of a black labour colony planted in the Northern Territory, and connected with New South Wales and Victoria by what was labelled a "Transcontinental Railway". This production, it was stated, came to an inglorious end about midday through being burned, whether by accident or design, it is not known.
Sydney Morning Herald, 21 June 1899
Try this
Make a poster to try to get people to vote for or against Federation in the Referendum. Choose a particular group of people to aim your poster's message at. See below for ideas.
Here are some examples of handbills and and poster messages from the campaigns for and against federation for the the Referendum of 1899.
A poster from Queensland:
"The present cry in Queensland for federation arises from the open throats of persons who represent southern interests... the thing required by Victorians is to "nobble" Queensland as a whole, if possible, by getting all our seaboard commerce, and by cutting all our local manufactures..."
A poster from WA:
"Federation will--
1. Raise... the cost of living in WA...
2. Result in increased duties on mining machinery.
3. Affect WA employment... Those locally employed in the boot industry will lose their jobs. The Eastern States will be able to centralise all manufactures...
4. Affect WA wages..."
A speech from South Australia:
"A great tide of commerce would come to South Australia (under federation). (cheers.) A large part of the most fruitful wheatgrowing land of Victoria had its natural outlet at Kingston... an outlet from which trade had too often been diverted by "cut-throat" railway rates... The the Broken Hill trade was South Australia's by right... In a federated Australia that trade would be ours forever..."
quoted from R.S. Parker, Australian Federation: The Influence of Economic Interests and Political pressures, Historical Studies Vol.3, No.13 Nov 1949 p1-24
Playing the Federation Simulation Game
First, divide the class into Colonies on this ratio (for a class of 30 students) -
| NSW | 11 |
| Vic | 9 |
| SA | 4 |
| Qld | 3 |
| WA | 2 |
| Tas | 1 |
The students are going to represent the population of Australia in 1901. They are going to vote on whether or not their colony should enter Federation, basing their decisions on the information they gain from all of the provided the sources.
Try this
You may wish to add some students to Western Australia and Tasmania, after they have seen the above realistic proportional division. (Investigate the population differences between the states today as well.)
Follow these steps:
A). Divide into State groups.
B). Each student should take their State role card (following), read it and discuss it.
C). Within their State groups, each individual should decide who they might represent, and whether that group would have been for or against federation. (At this point you may wish to have some more research done in the library)
D). Each student should make up their own card, for the person or group they intend to be.
E). Argue with the other members of their State, for or against federation and try to convince other members of their State group to change their vote.
F). Before the referendum is taken, individuals may address the whole class, (all of the Australian States) to convince other like-minded people in other states to stand firm, or to change their vote.
G). Hold the referendum in each State. Hold the elections simultaneously so that each state group cannot find out how other states have voted until the final count. For federation to take place, a majority in each State is needed.
H). Discuss the outcome. Was it realistic? Did the outcome match history? What were the problems?
Some ideas that may help in the simulation:
Already established postions (mentioned in the earlier section on reasons) are:
Tasmanian Apple-growers
West Australian miners
Overseas trade Merchants
Riverina farmers
South Aust. wheat farmers
South Aust. manufacturers
Victorian manufacturers
Queensland sugar farmers
Queenslanders interested in New Guinea
Many Labor Party voters
Students who are able to reasonably guess which position certain groups might take show that they really understand some of the important reasons for federation.
Remember this
Most Australians didn't really care about federation.
Each "special interest" group has to work hard to convince the rest
of their State and the rest of Australia to vote the way they want!
Here is a voting registration table for your referendum simulation:
| _NSW_ | _VIC_ | _SA_ | _Qld_ | _WA_ | _Tas_ | _Total_ | |
| Yes | |||||||
| No |
Students representing New South Wales should receive this card:
New South Wales
1. The oldest colony in Australia.
2. Had a large population.
3. Had some manufacturing, but Victoria was growing rapidly, and had more.
4. Quite wealthy, but was jealous of Victoria.
5. NSW had railway lines 44 inches wide, while Victorian railway lines were 51 inches wide. What was to be the national standard?
6. Had Free Trade, but was afraid of Victoria - did not want Victoria to lead the country.
7. Parliament said there had to be at least 80,000 votes in favour of Federation.
8. Most NSW government leaders could not make up their minds what type of unity they really wanted.
Students representing Victoria should receive this card:
Victoria
1. Very wealthy, soon to be the richest colony - saw itself as the future leader of Australia.
2. Had a large population.
3. Rapidly expanding manufacturers in Victoria needed markets in other states for more trade, in order to continue to expand.
4. Victorian railway lines were 51 inches wide, while NSW had railway lines 44 inches wide. What was to be the national standard?
5. Tariff barriers: 40%. Supports Protection
Students representing South Australia should receive this card:
South Australia
1. A struggling colony.
2. Trade with western NSW and Queensland would increase with Federation, so South Australia would become richer.
3. Wheat and wine industries were hurt by tariffs.
4. Small manufacturers and food-producers in SA felt they would suffer if there was competition from the eastern colonies.
5. Supports Free Trade.
Students representing Western Australia should receive this card:
Western Australia
1. Small population.
2. Was backward and poor - very jealous of the wealthy Eastern colonies.
3. Was separated from the Eastern States, and thought it would get a railway line connection that linked it to the Eastern colonies if it joined Federation.
4. Many gold miners were from the Eastern colonies, and wanted Federation because most of them had been born in the Eastern colonies.
5. High costs of transport and food resented by miners, while State parliament was mostly dominated by squatter-farmer interests who did not want Federation
6. Was afraid that a Federal government would only care about the Eastern colonies.
7. Produced more gold than the other colonies in the 1890's.
8. Small manufacturers in WA felt they would suffer if there was competition from the eastern colonies.
9. Supports Free Trade
Students representing Queensland should receive this card:
Queensland
1. Was afraid that the south eastern colonies would not care what
happened to it.
2. Did not want to lose Kanaka labour who worked in the sugar fields
unless promised protection for their sugar industry.
3. Small manufacturers in Queensland felt they would suffer if there
was competition from New South Wales and Victoria.
4. Some felt it would be better off, because they could sell their
sugar in more places.
5. Supports Free Trade.
Students representing Tasmania should receive this card:
Tasmania
1. Very small population
2. Very poor colony - had very little industry.
3. Relied upon selling potatoes and apples to the other colonies
- rapidly expanding food-producers needed markets in other states
for more trade, in order to continue to expand.
4. Supports Free Trade.
Notes useful for the simulation...
Most of the pressure towards federation came from state politicians. Some of the students in each State should take on these roles to convince others of the need for federation.
Here is an additional card for "politicians" in each state:
Many colonial politicians wanted...
1. The elimination of inter-colonial trade barriers and tariffs
- inter-colonial free trade.
2. To overcome complications in navigation law and quarantine, postal
services, banking and insurance law - they wanted uniform administrative
services.
3. A stronger influence on British Imperial policy, which could
only come from "speaking with one voice' to the British government.
4. To convince others that only the unification of all colonial
resources would provide for an effective defence of the continent.
They wanted a unified foreign policy and defence policy. Australia
had no British troops after 1870, and some people were concerned
when Germany took over NE New Guinea in 1884.
5. To develop an "Australian" nationalism, rather than just State
loyalty.
6. To unify the different gauges of the railways in different colonies
to make trade and travel more efficient.
7. To unify Immigration laws, which were different for each state.
Another simulation preparation exercise:
State and federal responsibilities
Students should use the front (Governemt Departments) pages of the telephone book to build up a list of Federal and State responsibilities, so that they understand that many things apply to all of Australia, and some things apply only to each State. eg.
Federal
Post and Telecommunications
Trade and Tariffs
Law
Immigration
Foreign Affairs
Defence
State
Police
Education
Transport
Hospitals
Housing
Youth affairs
Family and Community Services
Talk about this
-
Should there be this division between State and federal?
-
Should State governments "fade away"?
-
Should the federal government hand back a lot of powers to State governments?
-
Should Australia have one federal government, and lots of local governments that are more responsive to peoples wishes and needs?
| 1. Reasons for federation
| 2. Background to Colonial politics
|
| 3. A Classroom Simulation | 4.
Sydney in 1901 |
The contents of this site are copyright & copy, Board of Studies NSW 1995, 1996, 1997.
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