Federation South Australia example essay topic

Federation is one of the most important events in Australian history. The benefits of federation, to all six colonies, far outweighed the disadvantages, and led to the formation of this nation. Without a small number of pivotal people, Australia would not still be just another colony of the ever expanding British empire. The move for federation on 1 January 1901 was a slow and laborious journey involving years of discussions, debates, conventions, referendums, hard work and determination.

Australia became a federation to unite the six colonies for independence, postal services, lighthouses, immigration, quarantine, railways, rivers, defense and tariffs. When talk began of federation South Australia was not in favor. South Australia valued its freedom from convict transportation, its tidy system of land settlement and was worried that it might be taken away by Victoria. In the late 1880's South Australia became a member of the Federal Council of Australasia. This also failed immensely because New South Wales refused to join. From the 1840's onwards hardly a year passed without serious discussion of Federation.

Many children were born and died hearing many proposals to federate the colonies before the dream became anything like a reality. The benefits to South Australia were numerous. South Australia believed that as a smaller colony it had a number of problems that federation could help fix. One of these problems was the wine industry. Vine disease phylloxera had broken out in the eastern states that left South Australia as the only workable wine producing state.

South Australia was extremely anxious to take advantage of this and gain access to other markets, Broken Hill was just over the border and Western Australia's goldfields were being serviced from Adelaide through jury, it was vital to get rid of customs barriers. Its location at the western end of the Murray-Darling river system made it exposed. The Murray River shipping trade was in decline and upstream irrigation settlements were being established without interest for South Australia. To take advantage of its central position, railway links with the eastern states system had to be developed to the west and north. Only a federal government could afford to build them. South Australia's role as the communications and transport distributor to the nation could create significant opportunities.

Federation could make it dominant to the continent commercially as well as geographically. Thomas Playford brought great experience to the First Constitutional Convention, having attended many international conferences. Playford was South Australia's Premier, Treasurer and later, Agent General in London for East Torrens Council. Thomas Playford was a popular South Australian representative in the first Federal Senate.

Playford helped to balance money matters with the larger and smaller states. During his time as a politician Playford had to grow fruit at Norton Summit to support his family as politicians were unpaid. Sir Richard Chaffer y Baker was a delegate to both Constitutional Conventions. Baker produced A Manual of Reference to Authorities for the use of the National Australasian Convention. This manual set out features of federal constitutions in other countries. It was also used and quoted favourably by delegates.

Despite Charles Kingston and Baker's differences, they were both dedicated to Federation. The Honourable Charles Cameron Kingston was a member of the first Convention's drafting committee. Along with Samuel Griffith and Edmund Barton Kingston spent all of 1891's easter on the steamship Lucinda working on a document that was to be presented to the Convention. Charles Cameron Kingston was also president of the second Constitutional Convention. Kingston was also a lawyer and became Premier. In 1897 the convention allowed members to attend Queen Victoria's diamond anniversary in England, where much to the irritation of his wife, Kingston declined a knighthood.

Catherine Helen Spence was the first women to stand for elected office even though she failed to gain election. Spence's great cause was a system of balanced voting known as the 'OHare - Spence'O system or 'O effective voting'O. Catherine's commitment to electoral improvement is evidenced today by the electorate of Spence named after her. Sir Frederick William Holder had proven to be an innovative and successful Treasurer in the state and was the author of quite a few of the financial terms in the draft Constitution. He was also a delegate to the second Constitutional Convention. Before entering state politics Holder was a teacher, lay preacher, newspaper editor, storekeeper and mayor of Burr a.

He was knighted in 1902. The move to federation was a very long and eventful process. It wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for some people who are now part of Australian history. Without pioneers such as Catherine Helen and Sir Thomas Playford, Australia would not be the great nation it is today, but rather just another British colony.