AHC: Independant Australia

After reading this I got a little more intrigued; not only New Zealand but also Fiji were involved in the early stages of Federation Conventions. Interesting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia

So what if they agreed to come together to form a Federation? Would it be possible for a world first political and economical union at such a scale geographically?

Considering that many native born Australians, New Zealanders and Fijians had little in the way of affiliation to Britain and the strong Republican sentiments during the latter half of the 19th century I think it could have been possible for a Federal Republic to come into existence as opposed to a Constitutional Monarchy.

I think if the founding fathers had of been a little more forward thinking and pressed their point a little harder we could have a Federated Republics of Australiasia. ;)
 
Simple. The British use their brains and rather than banishing their convicts to that huge warm sunny continent down under, they leave the convicts behind, probably in Scotland, and move the rest of the population to Australia.
I do not know why, but that is just beyond impressive.:D
That would be a thing to see.
 
After reading this I got a little more intrigued; not only New Zealand but also Fiji were involved in the early stages of Federation Conventions. Interesting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia

So what if they agreed to come together to form a Federation? Would it be possible for a world first political and economical union at such a scale geographically?

Considering that many native born Australians, New Zealanders and Fijians had little in the way of affiliation to Britain and the strong Republican sentiments during the latter half of the 19th century I think it could have been possible for a Federal Republic to come into existence as opposed to a Constitutional Monarchy.

I think if the founding fathers had of been a little more forward thinking and pressed their point a little harder we could have a Federated Republics of Australiasia. ;)


A federation of the Australian and NZ colonies was quite possible quite up until 1890, without any major PODS. Post that point we would need to see something pretty major, along the lines of:

1. Britain forces the issue
2. NZ itself develops a very strong federation movement
3. Some sort of external disaster. Perhaps a war with Russia? NZ and Australia are littered with coastal fortifications funded by the colonial governments against two different Russian scares prior to this point
4. A NZ financial collapse that requires a crisis bailout and imposition of a new governing framework.

Prior to the 1890s things perhaps get a little easier. For NZ, the following could work:

1. The centralisation of NZ doesn't happen and the provinces integrate into the growing Australian federation movement
2. The provinces are amalgamated into two island based states, rather than one unitary NZ of both islands. This isn't as silly as it seems. Prior to the late 1870s the SI was rather more stable and developed - the NI still was dealing with the Land Wars and the aftermath. I would imagine that domestic island politics would align more with the Australian states and federation than some sort of two island federation. I would also imagine the Australian states and Britain would also think that two island based states would be easier to deal with rather than 4-8 small provinces.


Regarding a wider federation with Fiji. I strongly doubt it for a bunch of reasons:

1. Fiji was long under British control rather than delegated via NZ or Australia. As a counterpoint, NZ was initially governed via NSW
2. Fiji was heavily populated and potentially hard work to govern (like Tonga or PNG). It would exceed the financial resources of either OTL federation or ATL federation at formation to administer if things went wrong, say, a rebellion. I would think the fiscally conservative amongst the federation types would balk greatly at the idea. The indigenous Fijiians would be incredibly unlikely to agree to joining such a federation prior to the 1950s I would think, having seen what happened to the Maori, Samoans or Haiwaians. They would strongly value the hands off relationship with the British crown
3. British public opinion would strongly come down against Fiji being run by a ATL federation, as they would rightly fear exploitation. See Blackbirding.
4. Racism - The NZ or Australian voting public would not accept formal constitutional equality with indigenous Fijians at the time of federation. NZ sort of had with the Maori, in theory, but that did not stop sustained central government attacks on Maori land-holdings and culture right up to WW1.
 
Yep. I couldn't agree more on what you wrote Julius - your points are very well informed and valid.

IMHO I think isolation and economic depression forces NZ to intergrate into federalism with Australia. However I think the UK would not force the issue of independence; at the time Britain was far from willing to release their colonial possessions to self rule as evidenced by India.

If anything a fully independent Australian/NZ federation with full political, economic and military co-operation with the UK could have been successful. Dare I say a prelude to the current Commonwealth of Nations.

But considering WA's reluctance to join Federation and indeed their petitioning the Brits to be given their own Dominion status their cause may have been successful with a sympathetic UK reluctant to release their hold on their colonies.
 
I remember reading a timeline last year where Australia became a world super power controlling New Zealand, many of the Pacific Islands and parts of Indonesia. Does anyone remeber it? I haven't been able to find it when I search for it.
 
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