AGY-2000 | National Australasian Convention

Full description

The National Australasian Convention was formed from a resolution of the Australasian Federation Conference, held in Melbourne from 6-14 February, 1890. The purpose of the Convention was to 'consider and report upon an adequate scheme for a Federal Constitution'. (1) The Conference proposed that the Convention should comprise seven members from each self governing colony and four members from each Crown Colony appointed by their respective legislatures. The National Australasian Convention met in Sydney from 2 March, 1891 until 9 April, 1891. The Convention consisted of delegates from New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia and New Zealand. The major issues discussed by the convention included (a) the distribution of powers between the proposed states and the commonwealth (b) creation of new states (c) trade between the states (d) transfer of customs collection and defence to the new federal government (e) Constitutional amendment (2) The creation of the federation would require the would establishment of the following machinery (a) A bi-cameral parliament consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate consisting of a equal number of representatives from each state (b) A judiciary consisting of a Federal Supreme Court which would effectively be a High Court of Appeal for Australia and High Courts (c) An Executive consisting of the Governor General and his advisers (3) These principles were discussed by the 'Committee of the Whole' for the first 13 meetings of the Convention, and on 18 March, 1891 the Convention determined that the resolutions be referred to three Committees. (4) These were: (a) Committee on Constitutional Machinery and the Distribution of Powers which would consist of two members from each delegation (b) Committee on Provisions relating to Finance, Taxation, and Trade Regulations to consist of one member from each delegation and (c) Committee on Establishment of a Federal Judiciary, its Powers and its Functions to consist of one member from each delegation. A draft constitution was submitted by the Committee on Constitutional Machinery on 31 March. 1891. This was ordered to be printed together with the reports of the other committees. (5) Throughout the Convention messages of good will were received from Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, the various colonies, social, trade and professional groups some hoping that their own interests would be addressed in the proposed federation. On the remaining days of the Convention the draft constitution was discussed in detail, debated and amended. On the final day of sitting it was proposed that the constitution be sent to the respective colonial legislatures who were required to submit it to their electors for 'consideration' via plebiscites. (6) The proceedings of the Convention were sent to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and each of the colonial legislatures. (7) FOOTNOTES: (1) The proceedings of the Federation Conference, 1890. 14 February, 1890 p. xxii. In NSW Votes and Proceedings, 1890 volume 8 , p. 463. (2) The final form of the principles in The Proceedings of the National Australasian Convention 18 March, 1891 p. lix in NSW Voles and Proceedings, 1890, volume 8 p. 192 (3) Loc. Cit (4) Op. Cit. P. lxii (5) Op. Cit. p. lxxii (6) Op. Cit. p. cxxii (7) Loc. Cit