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Our Constitution

"I think it is `Hobson's choice' with us. We must either join as an original State, or else trust to Providence in the future to get in on better terms."

Delegates discussing Australian Federation at an 1890s conference Sir John Forrest is shown standing, at centre, behind Sir Henry Parkes.

For a time it had seemed the colony might refuse to join the federation. Western Australia was the last of the six self-governing colonies The delay was due to strong opposition from a committee within the parliament that requested amendments to issues such as uniform national measures on trade, to protect the colony's economic interests. This was refused, and the Forrest government considered waiting some years until its economic growth would allow it to federate as an equal partner with the other colonies or until it could win favourable concessions for joining.

Concurrently, the people of the goldfields were strongly in favour of federation and petitioned for the right to seperate from Western Australia and federate as a new state.

A referendum was held and solidsupport on the goldfields swung the issue and the YES vote was 44,652 against the NO vote of 19,636.

The vote for Federation The West Australian's referendum board showing the result of the vote.

Campaign for Federation Supporters with ``vote yes" flag.