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Our Constitution

The Executive Council, 1888 Governor Broome is seated at the middle, while John Forrest, a government official at the time, is standing behind him.  During his six years in government Broome had almost constant clashes with senior officials. He was also known for his personal support of calls for self government. Legislative Members who debated self government 1885 - 1888. This photograph of the Legislative Council, 1885 - 1888, shows the elected and nominated members who debated the Constitutional Bill for self government. The Speaker Sir James G. Lee Steere is shown at Centre.

WA Bulletin, 5 May 1888 Cartoons such as these were `digs' at Governor Broome's perceived mismanagement of the colony.  They promoted the belief that self government would alleviate the Colony's financial woes. Possum, 17 December 1887 Throughout the 1880s, Broome had become increasingly unpopular with the colonists for his perceived ``mismanagement" of government.  In this cartoon, Governor Broome expresses his desire to escape while the West Australian newspaper stands with arrows in hand, vigilantly guarding the Governor.