Editing History of Australia (section)

===Federation movement===
{{Main|Federation of Australia}}
Growing nationalist sentiment coincided with business concerns about the economic inefficiency of customs barriers between the colonies, the duplication of services by colonial governments and the lack of a single national market for goods and services.<ref>Hirst, John (2020). pp. 45–61</ref> Colonial concerns about German and French ambitions in the region also led to British pressure for a federated Australian defence force and a unified, single-gauge railway network for defence purposes.<ref>Irving, Helen (2013). p. 252</ref>

A [[Federal Council of Australasia]] was formed in 1885 but it had few powers and New South Wales and South Australia declined to join.<ref>Irving, Helen (2013). pp. 250–51</ref>

[[File:HenryParkes Melbourne.jpg|left|thumb|[[Henry Parkes|Sir Henry Parkes]] delivering the first resolution at the federation conference in Melbourne, 1 March 1890]]

An obstacle to federation was the fear of the smaller colonies that they would be dominated by New South Wales and Victoria. Queensland, in particular, although generally favouring a white Australia policy, wished to maintain an exception for South Sea Islander workers in the sugar cane industry.<ref>Hirst, John (2000). pp. 107, 171–73, 204–11</ref>

Another major barrier was the free trade policies of New South Wales which conflicted with the [[Protectionism|protectionist]] policies dominant in Victoria and most of the other colonies. Nevertheless, the NSW premier [[Henry Parkes]] was a strong advocate of [[Federation of Australia|federation]] and his [[Tenterfield Oration]] in 1889 was pivotal in gathering support for the cause.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Irving|first=Helen|title=The Cambridge History of Australia, Volume I|year=2013|pages=249–51|chapter=Making the federal Commonwealth}}</ref>

In 1891, a National Australasian Convention was held in Sydney, with all the colonies and New Zealand represented. A draft constitutional Bill was adopted, but the worsening economic depression and opposition in colonial parliaments delayed progress.<ref>Irving, Helen (2013). "Making the federal Commonwealth". ''The Cambridge History of Australia, Volume I''. pp.&nbsp;252–55</ref>

Citizen Federation Leagues were formed, and at a conference in [[Corowa Conference|Corowa]] in July 1893 they developed a new plan for federation involving a constitutional convention with directly elected delegates and a referendum in each colony to endorse the proposed constitution. The new NSW premier, [[George Reid]], endorsed the "Corowa plan" and in 1895 convinced the majority of other premiers to adopt it.<ref>Irving, Helen (2013). pp.&nbsp;255–59</ref>

All of the colonies except Queensland sent representatives to a constitutional convention which held sessions in 1897 and 1898. The convention drafted a proposed constitution for a Commonwealth of federated states under the British Crown.<ref>Irving, Helen (2013).  pp.&nbsp;259–61.</ref>

Referendums held in 1898 resulted in solid majorities for the constitution in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. However, the referendum failed to gain the required majority in New South Wales.<ref>Irving, Helen (2013). p. 262</ref> The premiers of the other colonies agreed to a number of concessions to New South Wales (particularly that the future Commonwealth capital would be located in that state), and in 1899 further referendums were held in all the colonies except Western Australia. All resulted in yes votes.<ref>Irving, Helen (2013). p. 263</ref>

In March 1900, delegates were dispatched to London, including leading federation advocates [[Edmund Barton]] and [[Alfred Deakin]]. Following negotiations with the British government, the federation Bill was passed by the imperial parliament on 5 July 1900 and gained Royal Assent on 9 July. Western Australia subsequently voted to join the new federation.<ref name="Irving-2013">Irving, Helen (2013). pp. 263–65</ref>