Government policy and infrastructure

Introduction

The discovery of gold brought massive changes to Australia. In the space of 50 years, gold transformed the fledgling penal colonies into an independent, united and thriving nation.

When gold was first discovered, Australia comprised four separate, self-governing colonies - New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land, Western Australia and South Australia. Port Phillip District, as Victoria was then known, did not become a colony in its own right until 1851.

The colonies had no common policy or infrastructure and simply regulated themselves based upon a handful of rules and laws specific to each State. The discovery of gold changed everything. For one thing, the gold rush resulted in massive immigration. There were vast influxes of people in all colonies, leading to an explosion in population growth and an increasing need for representative control.

Rapid population growth and expanding mining communities led to the call for legislative representation. Imposition of gold licences and other restrictive practices in which the miners had no say inflamed tensions further. See image 1

The discovery of gold in most States of Australia also had a positive effect on labour shortages in the cities, driving wages and conditions well above those in the rest of the world. Desperate to maintain their workforce, the cities were forced to offer more incentives to encourage workers to remain in their jobs.

The birth of the middle class

The marked improvements in working conditions led to the creation of the first middle class, reasonably well-paid working people with economic and political influence. This newly-moneyed class began to demand improved conditions in all areas of life: better education opportunities, cities with more facilities and a better transport infrastructure. See image 2

The gold rushes led to the reduction of convict transportation. The British government realised that sending convicts to a colony near one of the world's richest goldfields was not a sensible policy. The last convicts were sent to the eastern States in 1853. Western Australia remained a convict colony until 1868.

The need for legislative control led to each colony forming mini-governments in the 1850s - groups of elected bodies responsible for revenue raising and land control in each State.

The road to Federation

1853: Select committee chaired by William Wentworth drafts a constitution for responsible self-government in New South Wales. See image 3

1855: Bi-cameral (two legislative chamber) parliament established in NSW, consisting of Legislative Assembly and an appointed Legislative Council. Britain retains power to disallow or block colonial legislation.

1856-57: South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania open bicameral parliaments in same model as New South Wales.

1859: Moreton Bay District separates from New South Wales and is renamed Queensland.

1863-90: Series of inter-colonial conferences of State premiers to protect and promote common interests.

1891: Draft Federal Constitution drawn up with contributions from all States.

1898: In-depth colonial conference debate leads to submission of draft Constitution to British Parliament for approval. Constitution is subsequently ratified by British Parliament.

1898-1900 - A series of State-wide referenda meet with strong support for Federation and the Constitution.

1901 - The Commonwealth of Australia established January 1.