A More Powerful Curtin Call-The Australasian Kingdom and World War 2(Story only thread)

[johnboy]

This is a "clean up" of my old timeline prior to moving it moving it into the completed timeline section. Yes, I know it starts prior to 1900 but the action is set in World War 2. Background posts will be in blue, timeline post commencing 1 September 1939 will be in black. If I happen to stick a new post in I'll note it.

1867-1889

The issue of the forming of a federation for the colonies in the Pacific had first been mooted by Sir Henry Parkes, who was essentially the first father of Federation and it’s driving force. Parkes first proposed a Federal Council in 1867, but nothing was to come of this for more than ten years.

By 1880 Parkes was firmly installed as Premier as New South Wales and again took up the issue of Federation. However, the first step in federation was the formation of the Federal Council in 1883.

The Federal Council itself was mainly the brainchild of Sir Samuel Griffith, the premier of Queensland. Concerned with both German expansion in New Guinea and French expansion in both New Caledonia and New Hebrides, Griffith was the driving force behind the Federal Council. Ironically, Parkes, seeing no immediate benefit to New South Wales, did not have that colony join, seriously weakening the position of the Federal Council by omitting the most populous state.

It was in 1884 that Parkes had a change of heart, finally seeing the Council as what it really was, merely the first step on the road to federation. Continued French activity in both the New Hebrides and New Caledonia, both close to New South Wales’s territories of Lord Howe and Norfolk Island had also been a catalyst. Only New Zealand did not, at this stage, join. Finally it was put to the Imperial Parliament and enacted on 1.1.1885. The Federal Council had powers to legislate directly upon certain matters, such as extradition, regulation of fisheries and so on, but it did not have a permanent secretariat, executive powers, or any revenue of its own, the latter, in particular, being a major issue.

Nevertheless, it was the first major form of inter-colonial cooperation. It provided an opportunity for Federalists from around the country to meet and exchange ideas. The means by which the Council was established endorsed the continuing role that the Imperial Parliament would have in the development of Australia's constitutional structure. In terms of the act itself, the Australasian drafters established a number of powers dealing with their "common interest" which would later be replicated in the Australasian Constitution. Never the less, the Council itself led directly to agitation for a Constitutional Convention, the first of which was held in Sydney in 1889.

With the exception of Victoria, every other Colony had an issue of one sort or another with Federation. Tasmania and Western Australia worried about the abolition of tariffs in a free trade Federation, depriving them of their main sources of revenue and putting them at the mercy of the larger States. South Australia likewise, with the additional rider of both allowing yet controlling Chinese immigration through it’s goldfield regions in the Northern Territory, which it also worried about losing control of to a Federal government. Queensland, for its part, worried that the advent of national legislation which would restrict the importing of kanaka labourers, thereby jeopardising its sugar cane industry. Parkes and New South Wales were worried that they would be forced to subsidise the poorer economies of the smaller states. New Zealand’s concerns were fourfold, leading to a rejection of the 1883 approach. Namely, the distance involved and losing their best political minds, lack of representation in a larger Federal unit and the rights of their own native population, historically more numerous, better educated and politically aware then the aboriginals in Australia. Fourthly, they were also deeply concerned in regards to the loss of tariffs, the Australian mainland being their main source of trading revenue. Lastly Fiji, whose concerns were also distance from the center of power, their own cultural identity and native rights and lack of representation in a larger economic and political unit.

All of these things would need to be addressed for a coherent Federal body to emerge.

 

[johnboy]

1889

The 1889 Constitution Council debated whether or not the time was ripe to proceed with federation. There had been political issues over the last four years that proven it's need, most notably Queensland's annexation of Papua in 1883 to counter German expansion, that had initially been rejected by the British Government and only later acquiesced to.

Whilst some of the delegates agreed it was, mostly notably Victoria and New South Wales, the smaller states were not as enthusiastic. Thomas Playford from South Australia indicated the tariff question and lack of popular support as hurdles. Similarly, Sir James Lee Steere from Western Australia and the New Zealand delegates suggested there was not high support for Federation in their respective colonies.

A basic question at this early assembly was how to structure such a Federation within the Westminster tradition of government. The act which had confederated Canada provided a model with respect to the relations between the federation and the Crown. There was less enthusiasm, however, for the centralism of the Canadian Constitution, especially from the smaller states. Following the conference of 1889, the Canadian Federal model was no longer considered appropriate for the Australian situation because of this reason. Although the Swiss provided another example, it was inevitable that the delegates should look to the United States as the other major model of a Federation within the English-speaking world. It gave just a few powers to the Federal government and left the majority of matters within the legislative competence of the states. It also provided that the Senate should consist of an equal number of members from each State while the Lower House should reflect the national distribution of population. Andrew Inglis Clark, a long-time admirer of American Federal institutions, introduced the U.S Constitution as an example of the protection of States' rights. He presented it as an alternative to the Canadian model, arguing that Canada was "an instance of amalgamation rather than Federation."

It was agreed to offer New Zealand two seats at a Federal model, one as the South Island, another as the North Island, assuaging their fears about under representation and playing into the traditional rivalry between these two parts of the land of the long white cloud.

In regards to tariffs, it was agreed to start reducing tariffs on a sliding scale by 0.25% starting in 1890 and reducing each year over a ten year period to 1900. They would then continue to reduce or be held at 1%(whichever was higher) until being abolished completely on 1.1.1910.

Fiji was to be connected to both Australia and New Zealand by regular freight and passenger services and provided by a series of low interest loans by both Victoria and New South Wales to stimulate economic development, removing it's fears about not only isolation but being a backwater.

It was agreed that all citizens in Australasia over the age of 21 would be accorded the right to vote, with some states not having yet introduced voting for women. Maoris were not excluded, removing an issue for New Zealand. In regards to Australian Aboriginals, it was agreed that those already enrolled to vote in their respective states could not be excluded and that those literate enough to so so would be able to vote. The thorny issue of immigration had also come up, but had been deferred to a later conference.

A controversial proposal that ignited much debate, some very acrimonious, was the possibility of Australasia having it's own separate monarch, using a Cadet branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg Gotha, possibly one of Queen Victoria's sons. Ties with England were still string for many, yet for others, such as Australasia's large Irish population, it was a despised link. The sheer distance from England was also an issue.

The conference in Melbourne ended with an agreement by the delegates that the time for Federation had perhaps finally arrived, although issues remained to be worked out. It was agreed that a draft constitution should be raised and the conference would reconvene in early 1890.

 

[johnboy]

1889-90

Andrew Inglis Clark had given considerable thought towards a suitable constitution for Australasia. In March 1888 he began writing a draft constitution, taking the main provisions of the British North America Act and its supplements, the U.S Constitution, the Federal Council of Australasia Act, and various colonial constitutions. Clark's draft introduced the nomenclature and form which was subsequently adopted:

• The Australasian Federation is described as the Commonwealth of Australasia
• There are three separate and equal branches - the Parliament, the Executive, and the Judicature.
• The Legislature consists of a House of Representatives and a Senate
• It specified the separation and division of powers between the Federal and State governments.

In early October 1888, Clark completed the final form of the draft Constitution and had a number of copies printed. In January 1889, Inglis Clark circulated copies of his draft to all Colonies and their premiers. This draft was always intended to be a private working document, and never has been published.

The importance of the draft Constitution of 1889 was recognised by Henry Parkes when he flatly declared that "The draft of 1889 is the Constitution of 1894, not its father or grandfather." Indeed, 86 Sections (out of a total of 132) of the final Australasian Constitution are recognisable in Clark's draft.

 

[johnboy]

1890-92

The Parliament proposed at the convention of 1890 was to adopt the nomenclature of the United States Congress. This proposal provided the broad outline of a Federal government. Its lower house was to be elected by districts drawn up on the basis of their population, while in the Senate there was to be equal representation for each State. This American model was mixed with the Westminster System by which the Prime Minister and other Ministers would be appointed by the representative of the Crown from among the members of the political party holding a majority in the lower House.

It was identified at the 1890 Convention a large problem: how to structure the relationship between the Lower and Upper houses within the Federal parliament. The main division of opinion centered on the contention that the Lower house must be supreme, as opposed to the views of other, that a strong Senate or Upper house with co-ordinate powers was essential. In the finish the former view prevailed but the Senate was still accorded strong power of review and could block supply, or the sitting government's money bills, making control of the Senate desirable.

Native voting rights for Australian aboriginals had again raised it’s head as an issue. After much debate it was agreed that all now enrolled and able to vote could do so. Those not enrolled would have to prove their literacy in English before being added to the electoral roll.

The location of the capital had also come in for much acrimonious debate, with all of Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney being proposed. Also proposed was an alternate location in an especially created Federal Territory in central New South Wales. In the finish a show of hands decided the matter. Auckland was excluded in the first ballot, then came a run off between Melbourne, Sydney and a special capital territory. The later was the next option to be excluded, not being deemed suitable for either New Zealand or Fiji, it being too inaccessible for either, all of which desired a strong sea link. Finally Melbourne won the last ballot, 6 to 4, it being deemed a more suitable location for communication to New Zealand than Sydney.

By far the most controversial proposal was the proposal to establish a separate Kingdom in Australasia with a separate monarch, although it would have involved the nomination of an existing member of the British Royal family. This was not able to be agreed upon, and seeing that this may scuttle all progress forward, a compromise was put forward by that was thought to be much less controversial, not only in England but also with the public of the Australasian colonies, where opinion varied between loyalism and republicanism(particularly among the many Irish immigrants). The monarchy would continue through the line of Victoria and her direct heirs as currently born yet not continue beyond that in future generations. What this was later to translate to in 1936 was a succession of Victoria being followed by her son Albert Edward(Edward V11) and his son George V. However, George V was the last London based sovereign of Australasia.

It was proposed to find a British Prince that would come to Australasia, serve as an Australasian Prince and then later as Governor General, as the Queen’s representative was to initially called. Once the current living direct heirs were exhausted, the cadet line that had been established within Australasia would assume the Kingship. It was a unique compromise that had been grandfathered in, but Parkes thought it may work and may be acceptable to the British, whilst allowing the Prince chosen to become truly Australasian in outlook.

Immigration and the many squabbles therein were put on the back burner again, listed to be addressed in the January 1892 conference proposed for Wellington.

 

[johnboy]

In January 1892 a proposal was accepted by the premiers of the Australasian colonies to establish a new convention by popular vote, with the resulting draft of the constitution being submitted to the electors of each colony in a referendum. After the Wellington meeting, the colonial parliaments took the opportunity to debate the emerging bill and to suggest changes. The basic principles discussed in 1890 were adopted, with the addition of the principle of responsible government. There was also a consensus for more democracy in the constitutional structure. It was agreed that the Senate should be chosen by popular vote with the voters in each State acting as one electorate via proportional representation.

The thorny issue of immigration was finally agreed upon, allowing any movement between any parts of Australasia and "South and Central Pacific Territories", but was otherwise restricted to those "substantially of European or Pacific Islander origin". However, it was agreed that those who were currently within the borders of Australasia would be given full citizenship if so desired and any of their direct descendants or spouses were eligible for resettlement.

The search for a suitable British Prince was helped along by the Tasmanian Agent General in London, Sir Edward Braddon. Braddon was a known proponent of Federation and was also friendly with the Prince of Wales's "Clarence House set", therefore he was aware of the Royal family's members and their circumstances. Braddon's recommendation fell on Prince Christian Victor, 25 years old at the time. He was already an English army officer, comparatively liberal in outlook having attended a normal public school and was also an accomplished cricketer. Better still from an acceptance point of view of the English establishment and Queen Victoria, he was Victoria's favourite Grandson and his family were comparatively poor, with little in the way of money or significant marriage prospects. He was also desperately in love with a Portuguese Princess he had met in Germany in 1892 but her father Miguel 1, the deposed former King of Portugal had flatly refused for her to marry due to his utter lack of prospects. It seemed like a way to kill two birds with one stone and having a Catholic Consort would be no issue in a land so dominated by Catholics as Australasia, where Catholicism was between 40 and 50%.

A draft bill was drawn up in early 1893, and then sent to each colony to be ratified by the electorate. After eight months of strong pro Federation lobbying, referendums were held in all of the colonies in October 1893. There were majority of "yes" votes in all of them.

The Commonwealth of Australasia Constitution Act was passed on 2 March 1894 and given Royal assent by Queen Victoria on 9 March 1894. It was proclaimed on 1st July 1894. Sir Henry Parkes was sworn in as the interim Prime Minister, leading an interim Federal ministry of twelve members. The first elections were to be held to a new parliament in February 1895.

Christian Victor, following events in conjunction with Marie Anne, was able to make a rather more successful proposal in March 1894 and the royal couple became engaged with a wedding scheduled in Melbourne in November 1894.

The new constitution established a bicameral Parliament, containing a Senate and a House of Representatives. The office of Governor General was established as the Queen's representative; initially, this person was considered a representative of the British government. David Boyle, 7th Earl of Glasgow, the current Governor of New Zealand being selected. It was intended that after two four year terms that he would be succeeded in the office by Prince Christian Victor.

The Constitution also established a High Court, and divided the powers of government between the States and the new Commonwealth entity.

 

[johnboy]

1895 Parkes

The new year had dawned on 1895, and Sir Henry Parkes was a happy man. The Federation of Australasia, or the Commonwealth of Australasia had been in existence for some six months. It had been a trying time but they had finally achieved their objectives. The first elections were now only six weeks away, as the royal wedding had been only six weeks in the past.

Parkes, however, would not be contesting the elections. Only himself, his wife and his doctor were aware of the cancer inside him. It was time to step down from carrying the burden and let others take up the cudgels.

Most of the changes had been done, some were more evolutionary. Although he did not know it at the time, it would not be until 1.1.1901 when a separate Australasian Navy and Army were formed, not until 1.1.1910 until tariffs were fully abolished, not until 1906 that a separate coin issue was released, not until 1.5.1911 and the introduction of penny postage that a separate stamp issue was issued for Australasia, the famous KKCC(Kangaroo, Kiwi, Crocodile and Coconut) Series of 19 stamps from 1/2d to 5 pounds and indeed not until the death of King George V on 20th January 1936 that Australasia celebrated it's first monarch, Christian 1st.

 

[johnboy]

Prince Christian Victor 1896

 

[johnboy]

Princess Marie Anne in 1898

 

[johnboy]

1895-97 Barton

The 1895 Federal Election confirmed a coalition of the Protectionist Party, with it's roots in Victoria and rural New South Wales in particular, ally with the Liberals, that were rapidly gaining support in Australia as well as their former home of New Zealand to form a majority government with Edmond Barton, one of the leaders of the Federation debate as the second Prime Minister of Australasia. Richard Seddon was a powerful voice and Deputy leader as the Leader of the Coalition Liberal party, forming a Centre-Right Protectionist Government.

In the Senate, however, they were forced to rely on the State Labor members, Labor having not as yet created themselves as a truly Federal Party. The opposition Free Trade Party had much more support in the smaller states, particularly Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia.

1895 Australasian Federal Election Results

Party/Seats House of Representatives

Protectionist Party 32
Free Trade Party 27
State Labour Parties 16
Independent 2
Liberal 14
Other 0
Total 91

Protectionist/Liberal 46
Free Trade Party 27

Party/Seats won Senate
Protectionist Party 14
Free Trade Party 18
State Labor Parties 9
Liberal 10
Independents 3
Total 54

A year later came the happy news that Princess Marie Anne was pregnant with her and Prince Christian's first child, what would later become Crown Princess Alice, who would be born as the first Australasian monarch within Australasia in 1897. Attached is a picture of the Crown Princess in 1907.

 

[johnboy]

Sir Henry Parkes, the "Father of Federation"

 

[johnboy]

Domain Palace, Melbourne. Residence of the monarchs of Australasia.

 

[johnboy]

1895-97 Barton

In 1895 the new Parliament quickly moved to restrict immigration to maintain Australasia's "European character", and the and the Immigration Restriction Bill was passed shortly before parliament rose for its first Christmas recess. Nevertheless, the Colonial Secretary in Britain made it clear that a race based immigration policy would run "contrary to the general conceptions of equality which have ever been the guiding principle of British rule throughout the Empire", so the Barton government conceived of the "language dictation test", which would allow the government, at the discretion of the minister, to block unwanted migrants by forcing them to sit a test in "any European language". Race had already been established as a premise for exclusion among the colonial parliaments, so the main question for debate was who exactly the new Commonwealth ought to exclude, with the Labor Party rejecting Britain's calls to placate the populations of its non-white colonies and allow "aboriginal natives of Asia, Africa, or the islands thereof". Immigration from the "South Pacific Islands", which did not include Papua New Guinea was not restricted, however, and current residents could automatically bring close family members out to immigrate. These restrictions would stay in place until relaxed by the events of 1941, with the "dictation test" itself being finally abolished in 1947.

In 1896, an historic law granting women's suffrage throughout the Commonwealth was enacted. Prior to Federation, women had already gained these rights in South Australia, New Zealand and Western Australia only.

Barton's Government secured support for an expanded British naval squadron at Sydney which would assist with training a local force and lobbied for preferential treatment for Australasian trade within the British Empire. A bill to create a separate Australasian Army was passed in 1895, effective 1.1.1896. A bill to create a separate Australian navy was drawn up, but this would not become law until 1.1.1906, as it requiring much training, recruiting and provision of facilities for such an entity to be created.

The Barton government received congratulations from the Pope on the tolerance shown to Catholics within Australasia, and Barton in return offered assurances that this would continue, with the support of Princess Marie Anne. This raised some protests from Protestants,but these were quelled to some extent by the announcements that the Royal children would be brought up as Protestants.

One of the most important issues dealt with by the new parliament was the establishment of a High Court. The Judiciary Act 1897, enacted in August, established the High Court of Australasia with five judges. On 21 November 1897, Barton resigned as Prime Minister, to accept appointment to the new Court. Richard Seddon became Australasia's second prime minister.

1897 had also brought the first part of the Australasian Government's overseas adventures. Firstly the Cook Islands, already a British Protectorate, being annexed by Australasia as an "Incorporated Territory" and the the Solomon Island likewise later the same year, both actions being ratified by the Barton government with the consent of the British government.

These were the first overseas acquisitions aside from the Queensland governments earlier 1883 annexation of Papua as a colony, which was now a colony of Australasia. Certain administrative changes were made to the boundaries of Papua at the same time, with the islands Woodlark, Sudest and Rossel being placed directly under the administration of Queensland.

 

[johnboy]

Seddon 1897-1903

The 1899 Federal election saw little change except a shift in voting towards the Liberal party of the of incumbent Prime Minister Richard Seddon. Despite being autocratic in outlook within his own party, his dynamism and great public oratory skills made him popular with the public, despite his oft called political name of "King Dick". He was also in favour of protectionist policies, leading to a natural alliance with the waning Protectionist Party. In the Senate this time the coalition of the two parties was able to achieve a workable majority.

1899 Australasian Federal Election Results

Party/Seats House of Representatives
Protectionist Party 26
Free Trade Party 27
State Labor Parties 18
Independent 2
Liberal 18
Other 0
Total 91

Protectionist/Liberal/Independent 46
Free Trade Party 27

Party/Seats won Senate
Protectionist Party 11
Free Trade Party 14
State Labor Parties 11
Liberal 15
Independents 3
Total 54

The main achievements during the course of Richard Seddon's term was the Old Age Pension Act 1900, also enthusiastically supported by Labor members.

During 1900 an Australasian Protectorate was declared over Tonga, which kept it's own monarch and was responsible for it's own internal affairs, it's defense and foreign policy being guided by Australasia. The island of Niue was also annexed to Australasia in 1900. The era also brought great domestic expansion and economic prosperity, the depression years on the mid 1890's finally having passed behind.

By the end of Seddon's first term in 1903 Prince Victor was due to take the office of Governor-General. The Prince had proved extremely popular with his Australasian subjects. A naturally affable man who was able to communicate well with people of all levels and with a quicker than average wit, both him and his wife had proven to be well regarded.

He had particularly endeared himself by a strong love of sports and in particular cricket, already a National past time in Australasia and in particular by making a well made 44 for Dandenong vs England in the 1895 Ashes Cricket tour by England, which Australasia won 4-1, much to local joy. His family had also expanded, with two more daughters, Marie(in 1899) and Charlotte(in 1902) and although a male heir was still hoped for, his daughters were the darlings of the Australasian public.

Princess Marie in 1908

Princess Charlotte in 1907

 

[johnboy]

1903-07 Seddon/Watson/Reid/Deakin

1903 Australasian Federal Election

House of Representatives

Party/Seats
Free Trade Party 25
Federal Labour Party 24
Protectionist Party 21
Liberals 19
Independents/Other 2
Total 91
Protectionist/Liberals 40
Free Trade Party 25

Senate

Party/Seats
Free Trade Party 13
Federal Labor Party 15
Protectionist Party 8
Liberal Party 16
Revenue Tariff Party 1
Independent 1
Total 54

1903-7 was time of political uncertainty for Australasia, no party having a clear majority in the House. Richard Seddon resumed as Prime Minister initially, needing both the support of the Protectionists and the Federal Labor Party, newly formed in 1902 from the disparate Labor State based elements. Seddon did not have a majority in either House, and he held office only by courtesy of the Labor Party, which insisted on legislation more radical than he was finally willing to accept, particularly in relation to arbitration and industrial relations. In April 1904 he was forced to resign. Prince Christian then invited George Reid, the Free Trade Party leader to form government, but he refused and the choice fell on Labor's Chris Watson, who became Australasia's fourth Prime Minister. However, Chris Watson himself was to resign some five months later with the defeat of his Conciliation and Arbitration Bill. This was ironically passed with the amendments Watson had wanted by the new Prime Minister, George Reid, who had accepted a commission after Watson resigned. Twelve months later Reid, also dogged by a lack of a parliamentary majority also resigned, being replaced by Protectionist Party Leader Alfred Deakin.

Never the less, a great deal of important legislation occurred during this time frame. Much of it giving shape to the Commonwealth during its first decade, including bills to create an Australasian currency. The Copyright Act was passed in 1905, as was the Australasian Navy Act, the Bureau of Census and Statistics was established in 1906, as was the Bureau of Meteorology and the Quarantine Act was passed in 1907. In December 1906 Deakin introduced the first bill to establish compulsory military service, which was also strongly supported by Labor's Watson and Billy Hughes.

In regards to overseas, Australasia continued to expand, 1906 seeing the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, already administered from Fiji, annexed as an territory, as was Tokelau. The biggest change, however, was the purchase of New Caledonia from France. The British had abrogated their claims on the island chain some time ago to Australasia and ongoing discussions between France and Melbourne in regards to the islands had swung back and forth, with a condominium to administer the islands even being proposed. Deakin put that Australasia would surrender all interests in the chain in favour of France, in return for the transfer to Australasian authority of the New Caledonian island chain, currently being used by France as a penal colony but this being due to close at the end of 1906. Criticized at the time as acquiring a "pestiferous, disease ridden land of squalor and misery", as the native population had declined by half in the last 30 years, it was eventually realised to be a wise move. Australasia would also provide a compensation payment to France of 2 million pounds in gold.

Thus, on 1.1.1907, Australasia had expanded to:
States:
Victoria
New South Wales
Tasmania
North New Zealand
South New Zealand
South Australia
Fiji
Western Australia
Queensland

Protectorates:
Tonga

Colonies
Papua
Solomon Islands

Territories:
Cook Islands
New Caledonia
Northern Territory

External Territories:
Niue
Tokelau
Gilbert and Ellice Islands

Finally, the last thorny issue to be resolved was the creation of hereditary titles within Australasia. This had arisen during the Watson government with many against the creation of a "Bunyip Aristocracy" to quote the fiery orator and character King O'Malley. A bill to codify titles in Australasia was passed. The only hereditary, inherited titles that would be given within Australasia would be those allocated to the direct children of the monarch. Two classes of titles were created, baronets which would be life peers only, their titles becoming extinct upon their death and below that knighthoods had been retained for those who offered meritorious service to the country as a whole.

 

[johnboy]

First Flagship of the Australasian Navy HMAS Zealandia(her sister HMAS Australia is identical) lying off Sydney in 1906

 

[johnboy]

1907-10 Watson

1907-10 saw continued economic growth but more confusion in politics. The 1907 election produced a Labor government supported by George Reid's Free Trade Party, but continuing disputes over legislation resulted in the removal of Labor's Chris Watson as Prime Minister and his replacement by Alfred Deakin. This had been precipitated by joining of the Conservative forces together, with the Liberals, the Free Trade Party and the Protectionist Party joining together in what was know as "The Fusion".

The Navy was the beneficiary of a number of financial upgrades that resulted in the ordering of two battle cruisers, Australia and Zealandia, with the two earlier pre dreadnaughts being renamed Southern Cross and Southern Star. Three light cruisers were also ordered, as well as destroyers.

As 1910 arrived, it brought the death of Edward VII(Victoria had died in 1901). George V assumed the throne as the last English monarch. Prince Christian had maintained his popularity and his three girls, including his headstrong eldest, were all attending Presbyterian Ladies College in East Melbourne as day students.

Closer ties had been fostered with the USA, with a substantial part of the "Great White Fleet" visiting in 1908 and the issue of railways had also been addressed, with the completion of a comprehensive same gauge railway linking Brisbane to Sydney to Melbourne to Adelaide to Perth being declared a Project of National significance, as was a Adelaide to Darwin link to "open up" the Northern Territory, which was now administered by the Commonwealth, South Australia finally ending it's state based administration in 1901.

 

[johnboy]

1910-13 Fisher

1910 Federal Election

Party House of Reps
Australian Labour Party 48
Commonwealth Liberal Party 40
Independent 3
Total 91

Party Senate
Australian Labour Party 29
Commonwealth Liberal Party 24
Independent 1
Other Nil

Total 54

The 1910 election confirmed Andrew Fisher as the first majority Labor Prime Minster. Fisher carried out many reforms in defense, constitutional matters, finance, transport and communications, as well as social security, achieving the vast majority of his aims in his first government, such as establishing old-age and disability pensions, a maternity allowance and workers compensation, the commencement of construction for the Trans Australian, Great Southern and Great Northern railways on standard gauge, and establishing the government-owned Commonwealth Bank. Fisher's government also introduced uniform postal charges throughout Australia, carried out measures to break up land monopolies, put forward proposals for more regulation of working hours, wages and employment conditions. A land tax, aimed at breaking up big estates and to provide a wider scope for small-scale farming, was also introduced. The introduction of the maternity allowance was a particularly major reform, as it enabled more births to be attended by doctors, thus leading to reductions in infant mortality. Eligibility for pensions was also liberalised. From December 1912 onward, naturalised residents no longer had to wait three years to be eligible for a pension. That same year, the value of a pensioner's home was excluded from consideration when assessing the value of their property.

Much mineral exploration was also undertaken and the country seemed on the verge of a boom. Little did anyone know that she was only a year away from war.

 

[johnboy]

Fisher 1913-15, Hughes 1915-19

Billy Hughes's Labor and later National Labor governments dominated politics in the 1913-18 period. Hughes had been Minister for External Affairs in the first Labor government. He was Attorney-General in Andrew Fisher's Labor government. He was the real political brain of these governments, and it was clear that he wanted to be leader of the Labor Party. But his abrasive manner (his chronic dyspepsia was thought to contribute to his volatile temperament) made his colleagues reluctant to have him as leader. His on-going feud with King O'Malley, a fellow Labor minister, was a prominent example of his fiery style.

Following the 1913 Election, the Labor Prime Minister of Australasia, Andrew Fisher, found the strain of leadership during World War I taxing and faced increasing pressure from the ambitious Hughes who wanted Australia to be firmly recognized on the world stage. By 1915 Fisher's health was suffering and, in September, he resigned and was succeeded by Hughes.

Fisher then reported on the Gallipoli campaign on Hughes' request, drawing much material from journalist Keith Murdoch(father of the more famous Rupert) reported on the situation in at Fisher's request, and advised him, "Your fears have been justified". He described the Dardanelles Expedition as being "a series of disastrous underestimations" and "One of the most terrible chapters in our history" concluding "What I want to say to you now very seriously is that the continuous and ghastly bungling over the Dardanelles enterprise was to be expected from such a general staff as the British Army possesses ... the conceit and self complacency of the red feather men are equaled only by their utter incapacity". It was damming criticism and led ultimately leading to the evacuation of the Australasian troops in December 1915 and them fighting under their own commanders in both France and Palestine in the later part of the war, an event that required the smoothing of many ruffled feathers by Prince Christian, who visited London himself in 1915-16 for a four month period.

Hughes was a strong supporter of Australasia's participation in World War I and, after the loss of 32,000 men as casualties (killed, wounded and missing) in July and August 1916, Generals Birdwood and White of the Australasian Imperial Force (AIF) persuaded Hughes that conscription was necessary if Australasia was to sustain its contribution to the war effort. However a two-thirds majority of his party, which included Catholic and union representatives as well as the industrialists (socialists) such as Frank Anstey and Michael Savage, were bitterly opposed to this, especially in the wake of what was regarded by many Irish Australians (most of whom were Roman Catholics) as Britain's excessive response to the Easter Rising in 1916, which was also abhorred by Princess Marie Anne.

In October Hughes held a plebiscite on conscription, but it was narrowly defeated. Melbourne's Roman Catholic archbishop, Daniel Mannix was his main opponent on the conscription issue. The narrow defeat (less than 20,000) however, did not deter Hughes, who continued to vigorously argue in favour of conscription. This created a deep and bitter split within the Australasian community as well as within the members of his own party.

Conscription had been in place since the 1906 Defence Act, but only in the defence of the nation. Hughes was seeking via a referendum to change the wording in the Act to include "overseas". A referendum was not necessary but Hughes felt that in light of the seriousness of the situation, a vote of "Yes" from the people would give him a mandate to by-pass the Senate.

To add to that, while it is true that the Lloyd George government of Britain did favour Hughes, they only came into power in 1916, several months after the first referendum. The predecessor Asquith government however greatly disliked Hughes considering him to be "a guest, rather than the representative of Australasia".

On 18 October 1916 the Victorian executive of the Political Labor League (the Labor Party organisation at the time) expelled Hughes from the Labor Party, after Hughes and 24 others had already walked out to the sound of Hughes's finest political cry "Let those who think like me, follow me." Hughes took with him almost all of the parliamentary talent, leaving behind the Industrialists and Unionists, thus marking the end of the first era in Labor's history. Years later, Hughes said, "I did not leave the Labor Party, the party left me." The timing of Hughes' expulsion from the Labor Party meant that he became the first Labor leader who never led the party to an election.

Hughes and his followers, which included many of Labor's early leaders, called themselves the National Labor Party and began laying the groundwork for forming a party that they felt would be both avowedly nationalist as well as socially radical. Hughes was forced to conclude a supply agreement with the opposition Commonwealth Liberal party to stay in office.

A few months later, Hughes and Liberal Party leader Joseph Cook (himself a former Labor man) decided to turn their wartime coalition into a new party, the National Party. Although the Liberals were the larger partner in the merger, Hughes emerged as the new party's leader, with Cook as his deputy. The presence of a working-class man like Hughes leading what was basically an upper- and middle-class conservative party allowed the Nationalists to convey an image of national unity.

At the 1917 election Hughes and the Nationalists won a huge electoral victory. Hughes had promised to resign if his Government did not win the power to conscript. A second plebiscite on conscription was held in December 1917, but was again defeated, this time by a slightly higher margin. Hughes, after receiving a no confidence vote in his leadership by his party, resigned as Prime Minister but, as there were no alternative candidates, Prince Christian immediately re-commissioned him, thus allowing him to remain as Prime Minister while keeping his promise to resign.

In 1919, Hughes travelled to Paris to attend the Versailles peace conference. He remained away for 15 months, and signed the Treaty of Versailles on behalf of Australasia. At Versailles, Hughes claimed "I speak for 80 000 dead". He went on to ask of Woodrow Wilson "How many do you speak for?" when the United States President failed to acknowledge his demands. Hughes, unlike Wilson, demanded heavy reparations from Germany, suggesting a staggering sum of £30,000,000,000 of which Australasia would claim many millions, to off-set it's own war debt. Hughes frequently clashed with President Wilson, who described him as a 'pestiferous varmint'.

Hughes demanded that Australasia have independent representation within the newly formed League of Nations. Despite the rejection of his conscription policy, Hughes retained his popularity, and in December 1919 his government was comfortably re-elected.

Like Jan Smuts of South Africa, Hughes was concerned by the rise of Japan. Within months of the declaration of the European War in 1914, Japan and Australasia seized all German possessions in the South West Pacific. Though Japan occupied German possessions with the blessings of the British, Hughes was alarmed by this policy. In 1919 at the peace conference the leaders of Australasia argued their case to keep their occupied German possessions of German Samoa and German New Guinea. These territories were given a "Class C Mandates" to the country. In a same deal Japan obtained control over it's occupied German possessions North of the equator.

Thus Australasia added New Guinea as a colony, detaching Bougainville and Buna Islands and reattaching them to the Solomon Island's colony. They also obtained Nauru and what was then Australasian Samoa.

 

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Billy Hughes

 

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Hughes 1920-23

After 1920 Billy Hughes political position declined. Many of the more conservative elements of his own party never trusted him because they thought he was still a socialist at heart, citing his interest in retaining government ownership of the Commonwealth Shipping Line and the Australasian Wireless Company. However, they continued to support him for some time after the war, if only to keep Labor out of power.

A new party, the Country Party, was formed, led by William Massey, representing farmers who were discontented with the Nationalists' rural policies, in particular Hughes' acceptance of a much higher level of tariff protection for Australasian industries (that had expanded greatly during the war) and his support for price control on domestically sold rural produce.

The Country Party, despite its opposition to Hughes' farm policy, was the Nationalists' only realistic coalition partner. However, party leader Earl Page let it be known that he and his party would not serve under Hughes. Under pressure from his party's right wing, Hughes resigned in February 1923 and was succeeded by his Treasurer, Stanley Bruce.

Hughes was furious at this betrayal by his party and nursed his grievance on the back-benches until 1929, when he led a group of back-bench rebels who crossed the floor of the parliament to bring down the Bruce government. A number of interesting occurrences were to fall within the last four years of Billy Hughes 1919-23 administration.

Firstly, David Lloyd George had requested Australasian troops to intervene in the in the Turkish War of Independence to which Hughes had flatly refused. Lauded by his own troops as "the little digger", he had not been prepared to throw them back into the fire in a destructive foreign civil war.

Secondly, both the Brisbane to Melbourne rail line had been completed in 1919 and a great deal of work also completed in transferring Victoria as a whole to standard gauge rail track. Secondly, Melbourne to Adelaide had also been completed to the same standard gauge in 1923.

Thirdly, a third branch of military service, the RAAF, had been inaugurated in March 1921 and flying gripped the nation as a pastime, with many plans for passenger and mail services.

Fourthly, there had been no small amount of crisis when Prince Christian's eldest, Princess Alice, had announced herself to be in love. The object of her affections was certain Karl Drake-Brockman. The Princess had joined the Royal Australasian Nursing Corps during the war and had nursed the young Captain upon his return to Australasia in 1920, suffering the effects of a bullet wound to the jaw sustained October 1918. He was well connected, his brother already a Militia Brigadier after service in France as well as being a National Party Senator, his sister the wife of the Mayor of Adelaide and owning a mining company in her own right. His father was the Surveyor General of Western Australia and owned large pastoral properties. Karl himself had won a M.C and was also a lawyer and Rhodes Scholar. Prince Christian was opposed, wanting his daughter to make a more traditional marriage. He was to be outmaneuvered by his own said daughter, who later revealed that it had been her own leaks to the press that had garnered so much support for a match. In the finish the Prince gave away as fathers are often want to do for their daughters, the marriage taking place in February 1923 and attended by Billy Hughes as his last official act as Prime Minister.

Fifthly, Australasia, much to Billy Hughes objections, was locked out of possession of a substantial navy by the Washington(and later the London Treaty). Australasia and Zealandia, both battle cruisers, were henceforth scuttled, although some turrets were saved for possible use in coastal defense. Hughes had toyed with the idea of keeping both and thumbing his nose at the Treaty, but this was a bridge too far for some. The two old pre dreadnoughts Southern Star and Southern Cross were also scrapped, leaving Australasia with only cruisers, although the small monitor Gorgon was given as a gunnery training ship by the R.N. These events, plus the deeds of Billy Mitchell, provided some impetus for the establishment of aircraft manufacturing facilities in Australasia.

Lastly, Hughes, convinced that the threat to Australasia was only exacerbated by her small population, launched his "populate or perish" immigration campaign, opening up and assisting immigration to Australasia people of any European descent, including Germans, Austrians and the like, still seen as enemy aliens that were not welcome in many other countries post war. Special provisions and low interest loans were issued for those that had capital and could establish businesses in Australasia.