1887: Six colonies squabbling about customs duties. All colonies independent and self governing. Queen Victoria Head of Britain and Colonies. Government House in Sydney.

1889: Sir Henry Parkes Premier of NSW (3 million people). Parkes came up with the idea of Federating colonies.  The ineffective Colonial Forces army was used as a main reason for Federating the Colonies ie the need for an efficient Australian army. Federation would also negate trade costs between colonies.

QUOTE: "Paralysis of intellect that gave birth to that idea!" Mark Twain writing about the different gauges of the rail lines between colonies. 

On Victorian border, the largest manufacturers of cakes, biscuits and fruit preserves - therefore sugar, tried to change the rules concerning customs duties.
Product images and labels for the first time depicted local goods with an Australian identity eg Coo-ee Brand Being Australian meant beating England at cricket and picking wattle at picnics - beginnings of national feelings.

Even though Melbourne was the biggest city, Parkes announced that NSW was now called Australia. The NSW Governor, Lord Carrington made Parkes drop this idea. 
QUOTE: "A man must be himself or nothing!"  Sir Henry Parkes

QUOTE: "To preserve, to protect, to reflect and if needs be... to castigate"
Louise Lawson (Henry Lawson mother), editor of "The Republican".

At a political conference, five Melbourne politicians refuse to stand for God Save the Queen - front page news. Included Alfred Deakin: native born and key supporter of Federation (articulate and magnetic personality) 

1889: First Imperial Conference in England. Deakin attended but not deferential to England. 

QUOTE: "Australians for Australia"  Free Press. This however did not include Aboriginals.  
QUOTE: "The pillar of the Aboriginal world is the land- socially, spiritually, kinship, ancestry... The taking of their land impacted on all Aboriginal society."   

QUOTE: "The Australian continent needs an Australian Government"  Parkes at Tenterfield.  The Premiers met at the Federation Conference. At that time the Bulleting reported, "No nigger, chinese, no lasko, no purveyor of cheap coloured labour is an Australian."

50 000 people demonstrated in Sydney to prevent a Chinese boat from docking. The same boat was prevented earlier from docking in Melbourne.  Federation would enable the same immigration rules throughout Australia.

No woman could vote or stand for Parliament. Wives and female family were not even allowed to attend Parliamentary dinners. They could view from the balconies on special occasions. 

"The Dawn" was published. First paper journal  written by a female for women. Editor was Louise Lawson.

A strike crippled the colonies. 70 000 men stopped work. It lasted 6 years and was coordinated across the colonies. The ultimate struggle between labour and capital.

1891: Australians beginning to think of themselves as one country. 
Strikes banner: "Fair Play - Fair Law - Justice for all" Continuing struggle between labour and capital.
QUOTE: "Are we not one people...One destiny?"  Federation Convention, Sir Henry Parkes

Deakin created the term "Commonwealth of Australia" as he saw Australians sharing a Common Wealth.

Qld premier Samuel Griffith given the task of writing the draft constitution. The draft was written during a picnic and in following days. Now each of the colonies had to ratify the document.

QUOTE: "In their eagerness they have betrayed Australians"  Bulletin, end of 1891.

Depression gripped colonies and Federation was dropped by Parkes as his support decreased. He retired 6 months later at age 77.  Federation was again raised in a small country town of Currowin.