Teejay
Gone Fishin'
New Zealand was involved with the Australian colonies in the conferences and conventions leading up to the Federation of Australia in 1901. However New Zealand decided not to join the Commonwealth of Australia. The question I pose is what if New Zealand decided to the Commonwealth of Australia at the onset in 1901 and become the seventh state in the Commonwealth.
I cannot see any reason why there would be any problems, Because Treaty of Waitangi and seats reserve for Moaris in the New Zealand parliament would have been recognized by the Commonwealth government.
Also the Maoris would have been counted in the Census, unlike the Aboriginals who according to the constitution weren't to be counted. However Aboriginals were allowed to vote in elections in every state apart from Western Australia and Queensland.
So in 1901 the Commonwealth of Australia in this timeline would have a total population of 4,603,985, with 815,862 living in New Zealand. The Federal Parliament would have 84 members in the House of Representatives and 42 in the Senate, which New Zealand would have been allotted 15 MHR’s and 6 Senators. I would reckon 9 MHR’s and 3 Senators would have associated with the Protectionists, although none would support the Labor Party (which in OTL won 14 seats out of 75 in the 1901 federal election)
House of Representatives:
• Free Traders: 30
• Protectionist: 39
• Labor: 13
• Independents: 2
Senate:
• Free Trade: 20
• Protectionist: 14
• Labor: 8
The overall outcome of the 1901 federal election would be identical to OTL, a minority Protectionist government (Edmund Barton being Prime Minister) supported by Labor MHR’s. As in OTL Edmund Barton would have resigned in 1903 and Alfred Deakin would become the second Prime Minister. The political situation federally would go much the same as in OTL, with the following Prime Ministers.
Edmund Barton: 1901-1903
Alfred Deakin: 1903-1904
Chris Watson: 1904
George Reid: 1904-1905
Alfred Deakin: 1905-1910
Andrew Fisher: 1910-1913
New Zealand's political environment in 1901 was somewhat different than Australia. Because in the Australian colonies there was already a Labor party which won 14 seats out of 75 in the 1901 federal election and also had a significant presence in the state parliaments. However the ancestor to current New Zealand Labour Party (which in its present form did not emerge until 1917) did not form until 1905.
In this timeline the Labour Party in New Zealand is still formed in 1905. However it joins the Australian Labor Party at the same time in this timeline, therefore the ALP (NZ branch) would have become a significant political force in New Zealand earlier than in OTL. A much more powerful Labor Party in New Zealander, sooner would have forced the Liberal Party there to fracture and an Anti-Labor party to form in New Zealand to counter the Labor Party.
At a federal level New Zealand would have sent more Anti-Labor than Labor MP’s to the federal parliament.
I cannot see any reason why there would be any problems, Because Treaty of Waitangi and seats reserve for Moaris in the New Zealand parliament would have been recognized by the Commonwealth government.
Also the Maoris would have been counted in the Census, unlike the Aboriginals who according to the constitution weren't to be counted. However Aboriginals were allowed to vote in elections in every state apart from Western Australia and Queensland.
So in 1901 the Commonwealth of Australia in this timeline would have a total population of 4,603,985, with 815,862 living in New Zealand. The Federal Parliament would have 84 members in the House of Representatives and 42 in the Senate, which New Zealand would have been allotted 15 MHR’s and 6 Senators. I would reckon 9 MHR’s and 3 Senators would have associated with the Protectionists, although none would support the Labor Party (which in OTL won 14 seats out of 75 in the 1901 federal election)
House of Representatives:
• Free Traders: 30
• Protectionist: 39
• Labor: 13
• Independents: 2
Senate:
• Free Trade: 20
• Protectionist: 14
• Labor: 8
The overall outcome of the 1901 federal election would be identical to OTL, a minority Protectionist government (Edmund Barton being Prime Minister) supported by Labor MHR’s. As in OTL Edmund Barton would have resigned in 1903 and Alfred Deakin would become the second Prime Minister. The political situation federally would go much the same as in OTL, with the following Prime Ministers.
Edmund Barton: 1901-1903
Alfred Deakin: 1903-1904
Chris Watson: 1904
George Reid: 1904-1905
Alfred Deakin: 1905-1910
Andrew Fisher: 1910-1913
New Zealand's political environment in 1901 was somewhat different than Australia. Because in the Australian colonies there was already a Labor party which won 14 seats out of 75 in the 1901 federal election and also had a significant presence in the state parliaments. However the ancestor to current New Zealand Labour Party (which in its present form did not emerge until 1917) did not form until 1905.
In this timeline the Labour Party in New Zealand is still formed in 1905. However it joins the Australian Labor Party at the same time in this timeline, therefore the ALP (NZ branch) would have become a significant political force in New Zealand earlier than in OTL. A much more powerful Labor Party in New Zealander, sooner would have forced the Liberal Party there to fracture and an Anti-Labor party to form in New Zealand to counter the Labor Party.
At a federal level New Zealand would have sent more Anti-Labor than Labor MP’s to the federal parliament.