Editing New South Wales (section)

=== 1901: Federation of Australia ===
A [[Federal Council of Australasia]] was formed in 1885 but New South Wales declined to join. A major obstacle to the federation of the Australian colonies was the [[Protectionism|protectionist]] policies of Victoria which conflicted with the free trade policies dominant in New South Wales. 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. Parkes also struck a deal with [[Edmund Barton]], leader of the NSW Protectionist Party, whereby they would work together for federation and leave the question of a protective tariff for a future Australian government to decide.<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 early 1893 the first citizens' Federation League was established in the Riverina region of New South Wales and many other leagues were soon formed in the colony. The leagues organised a conference in [[Corowa Conference|Corowa]] in July 1893 which developed a plan for federation. The new NSW premier, [[George Reid]], endorsed the "Corowa plan" and in 1895 convinced the majority of other premiers to adopt it. A constitutional convention held sessions in 1897 and 1898 which resulted in a proposed constitution for a Commonwealth of federated states. However, a referendum on the constitution failed to gain the required majority in New South Wales after that colony's Labor party campaigned against it and premier Reid gave it such qualified support that he earned the nickname "yes-no Reid".<ref>Irving, Helen (2013). pp. 257–62</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 NSW), and in 1899 further referendums were held in all the colonies except Western Australia. All resulted in yes votes, with the yes vote in New South Wales meeting the required majority. The [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Imperial Parliament]] passed the necessary enabling legislation in 1900 and Western Australia subsequently voted to join the new federation. The Commonwealth of Australia was inaugurated on 1 January 1901, and Barton was sworn in as Australia's first prime minister.<ref>Irving, Helen (2013). pp. 263–65</ref>