What if Western Australia had not joined the Commonwealth of Australia?

[workmx]

The government of Western Australia (WA) decided only very late in the negoiation to join the Commonwealth of Australia. This is why the state is missing from the preamble to the Consitution of Australia.

"WHEREAS the people of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania, humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God, have agreed to unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland..."

So, what if Western Australia had not joined the Commonwealth of Australia? What if WA instead decided to become a sperate country?

 

[workmx]

Potential flags and map of the two "Australias"

Flag of the Republic (?) of Western Australia

Map of the Australian continent

 

[jeckl]

Then the gold miners would split off and take most of the South with them. Thats disregarding the fact that the Premier of WA WANTED to join the Federation, just when he was ready. And a WA with out the gold fields would be dirt poor, so they could not survive as a republic.

 

[Riain]

Theyd join the Federation no later than Nagumos Indian Ocean raid, probably as early as WW1.

 

[Mumby]

I agree that Western Australia would eventually join the Commonwealth, probably around WWI. But wouldn't this period lead to a different identity within Australia. Like British Columbia within Canada. Maybe call it Cygnia to differentiate it.

 

[Cook]

Then the gold miners would split off and take most of the South with them.

Dificult that, given where their water came from.

 

[Julius Vogel]

Wouldn't letting one of the colonies opt out in part defeat the purpose of federation? It is hard to see that Britain would be that keen on this, let alone the other states.

The Second Boer War coming in around the time of Federation may have also convinced WA to reconsider as well

 

[Lord Brisbane]

This would delay federation for a while. I'm pretty sure the idea was one of the 'everyone's in' ones. So there remains the individual colonies with limited self government, but likely greater responsibilities as time goes on such as defence.

It could be delayed even further if Queensland continued to refuse to participate in the various conventions and votes (for longer than OTL) due to issues surrounding Kanaka labour.

A Points of Departure could be that there is no Federal Council of Australasia (had no power anyway), Henry Parkes never being NSW Premier, someone else being chairman of the Drafting Committee at the 1891 Federation Convention other than Griffith, etc.

 

[Magniac]

I agree with the suggestions about WA joining during WWI, but I'd add another possible date--1904ish, after Japan defeated the Russian Empire on land and at sea. That's a powerful motivator for all the loyal British imperialists and White Continent advocates.

 

[Arachnid]

This would delay federation for a while. I'm pretty sure the idea was one of the 'everyone's in' ones. So there remains the individual colonies with limited self government, but likely greater responsibilities as time goes on such as defence.

Not really they had tried that in 1890 and it had failed, by 1901 (actually 1899-1900 when Federation was being planned) it had been switched to get the thing started and then hope it snowballs, for example the provisions for allowing NZ in.
If WA stays out Federation will happen anyway and I suspect that WA will join eventually, however it could go the Newfoundland route and hold out for a surprisingly long time though I suspect that the Fall of Singapore will convince the powers that be that joining Australia is necessary.

 

[ColeMercury]

Flag of the Republic (?) of Western Australia

[...]

Map of the Australian continent

[...]

Western Australia is the most monarchist state in the country. If they became their own country, they're far far more likely to remain a monarchy than the rest of Australia is. And their flag would be the same as it had been since 1870:

I guess they'd flip the direction the swan was facing eventually in the ATL too.

Not only that, but the Commonwealth Star on the Australian flag has seven points because it's six states plus the territories. Western Australia not being there means you have to change that too.

 

[Cook]

Travel time and distance from Perth to Melbourne was (and is) greater than Wellington to Melbourne. I’d give the odds of West Australia and New Zealand joining Federation as about the same.

 

[SlideAway]

WA actually voted to secede in 1933. In any event, if it doesn't join, I imagine it having a relationship with Australia similar to OTL New Zealand (which OTL was initially supposed to federate but opted out at the last minute). In this TL, all 3 - W. Australia, Commonwealth of Australia, and New Zealand have a close relationship. Perhaps instead of ANZAC, you have something like PANZAC (Pan-Australia and New Zealand...) or "Australasia Corps."

 

[Marc Pasquin]

Perhaps instead of ANZAC, you have something like PANZAC (Pan-Australia and New Zealand...) or "Australasia Corps."

AJAC ? (Australasian Joint Army Corps)

 

[workmx]

(snip)... the Premier of WA WANTED to join the Federation, just when he was ready...

You are correct.

No doubt that Sir John Forrest was in favour of federation.

He unsucessfully campaigned for fairer representational terms for less populous colonies.

I wonder what he would make of the unfair economic terms that West Australians now face.

 

[workmx]

Western Australia is the most monarchist state in the country. If they became their own country, they're far far more likely to remain a monarchy than the rest of Australia is. And their flag would be the same as it had been since 1870:

(...)

Proposed flag of the proposed "Dominion of Westralia" is proof that, at the time, monarchists were prevelent in WA.

IMO, any data based on the 1999 refendum results, that indicates the level of support for a republic in Australia is flawed, as the question was a leading one.

Although general polling at the time had a majority of Australians in favour of a republic, the referendum failed (54.87% no vs 45.13% yes).

The republic idea came to me, as a result of Australia being effectively stripped of its armed forces and strategically abandoned by the UK in WWII.

WA being likely the first to the treat of Japanese invasion may turn on the monarchy as a result.

This moves that POD to well before 1999.

The questions is: how likely was that?

Apologies, my timeline is a work in progress ATM.

Not only that, but the Commonwealth Star on the Australian flag has seven points because it's six states plus the territories. Western Australia not being there means you have to change that too.

Yes, I thought of that, but forgot it on the picture edit.

Fixed.

 

[jeckl]

Dificult that, given where their water came from.

it's what they threatened to do otl, this was a factor in WAs' decision to federate.

 

[Giysqun Wilde]

Having them not join right away might make possible a larger confederation with New Zealand, Samoa, and other islands areas, just so that they didn't feel that Australia as a whole would overwhlem them all. Might be trouble with communists and tensions over letting in Asian immigrants, though.

 

[Julius Vogel]

I don't see Australia or NZ wishing to incorporate any non European majority Pacific territories as full voting members with a democratic franchise until well after the Second World War without major PODs.

A POD I'd like to explore further, for a wider federation, would be a genuine Russian Scare in the 1870s-80s.

 

[Giysqun Wilde]

I don't see Australia or NZ wishing to incorporate any non European majority Pacific territories as full voting members with a democratic franchise until well after the Second World War without major PODs.

A POD I'd like to explore further, for a wider federation, would be a genuine Russian Scare in the 1870s-80s.

Who said anything about voting? Samoa would have been conquered, and likely some sort of internal satteliate, though a profitable one. Basically everything besides the four islands that make up Australia, Tasmania, the North Island, and the South Island would have the political rights of the occupants of the Great Barrier Reef.

Depends if you can get a more leftist Java somehow, in which case the Australians would have tried occupying the other islands or supporting the various island republics and monarchies so they don't get swallowed up.