Part 3 · Sub-section 2 of 8

Federation & the Australian Constitution

Before you can understand how Australia's government works today, you need to understand how it was created. This section covers the story of Federation — how six separate colonies became one nation — and the Constitution that governs it all.

Before Federation: Six Separate Colonies

After British settlement and before 1901, Australia was made up of six separate, self-governing British colonies. Each colony had its own constitution and laws relating to defence, immigration, postage, trade and transport.

This created major problems:

Problem	Impact
Trade & transport between colonies	Expensive and slow — goods had to cross colonial borders
Law enforcement across borders	Difficult — criminals could cross into another colony
Defence	Separate colonies had weak individual defence systems

Over time, an Australian national identity was also developing — in sport, songs, poems, stories and art. The idea of one united Australian nation became a reality.

Federation: 1 January 1901

🏴 6 British Colonies Before 1901

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🤝 Agreed to Unite National identity forming

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📜 Constitution Act 1900 British Act of Parliament

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🇦🇺 Commonwealth of Australia 1 January 1901

The Date: On 1 January 1901, the six colonies were united into a federation of states called the Commonwealth of Australia. This is one of the most important dates in Australian history — learn it for the test.

The Australian Constitution

The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (known as the Australian Constitution) is the legal document that sets out the basic rules for the government of Australia.

It was originally passed as part of a British Act of Parliament in 1900. On 1 January 1901, the Australian Constitution came into effect and the Australian colonies became one independent nation.

The Constitution established:

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The Parliament of the Commonwealth — consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate

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The High Court of Australia — ultimate power to apply and interpret Australia's laws

Changing the Constitution — Referendums

The Australian people can change the Australian Constitution by voting in a referendum. But it's not easy — there must be a "double majority" for a change to succeed.

📋 Proposed Change Parliament proposes

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🗳️ National Referendum All voters decide

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✅ Double Majority Required National + majority of states

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📜 Constitution Changed If both majorities met

Double Majority Explained: For the Constitution to change, BOTH of these must vote YES:

① A majority of voters across the whole nation
② A majority of voters in a majority of states (i.e., at least 4 of the 6 states)

A famous example: the 1967 Referendum where more than 90 per cent of Australians voted 'Yes' to allow Aboriginal peoples to be counted in the Census.

Key Points to Remember

Before 1901, Australia had 6 separate British colonies, each with its own laws
On 1 January 1901, the colonies united to form the Commonwealth of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 sets out the basic rules for government
The Constitution established Parliament (House of Reps + Senate) and the High Court
The Constitution can only be changed by referendum with a double majority
Double majority = majority nationally AND majority of voters in at least 4 of 6 states
The 1967 Referendum (90%+ Yes) allowed Aboriginal peoples to be counted in the Census

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