The 'Tenterfield Oration' is a famous speech given by Sir Henry Parkes (who is often called the 'Father of Federation') at a banquet at Tenterfield, New South Wales. In this excerpt he cites the defence of Australia as an all-important reason for the colonies to unite.

Focus questions
DeQ1 What is the first reason Parkes gives for federating the forces of the colonies?
DeQ2 Why doesn't the Federal Council have the power to direct the forces?
DeQ3 What other subject (related to defence) is a national issue calling for the attention of a federal government?

THE TENTERFIELD ORATION

SIR HENRY PARKES AT TENTERFIELD
BANQUET TO THE PREMIER

Sir HENRY PARKES, who was received with applause, said, in reply … General Edwards had also advised that the forces of the various colonies should be federated for operation in unison in the event of war so as to act as one great federal army. If an attack were made upon any of the colonies, it might be necessary for us to bring all our power to bear on one spot of the coast. … There were two very important questions to which their attention ought to be directed. They must have heard something of the Federal Council … if they were to carry out the recommendations of General Edwards, it would be absolutely necessary for them to have one central authority, which could bring all the forces of the different colonies into one army. Some colonial statesmen had said that this might be done by means of the Federal Council; but this Federal Council had no power to do anything of the sort, as it was not an elective body, but merely a body appointed by the Governments of the various colonies. … The great question which they had to consider was, whether the time had not now arisen for the creation on this Australian continent of an Australian Government … Believing as he did that it was essential to preserve the security and integrity of these colonies that the whole of their forces should be amalgamated into one great federal army, feeling this, and seeing no other means of attaining the end, it seemed to him that the time was close at hand when they ought to set about creating this great national government for all Australia. This subject brought them face to face with another subject. They had now, from South Australia to Queensland, a stretch of about 2,000 miles of railway, and if the four colonies could only combine to adopt a uniform gauge, it would be an immense advantage to the movement of troops. These were the two great national questions which he wished to lay before them. … He believed that the time had come, and if two Governments set an example, the others must soon of necessity follow, and they would have an uprising in this fair land of a goodly fabric of free Government, and all great national questions of magnitude affecting the welfare of the colonies would be disposed of by a fully authorised constitutional authority, which would be the only one which could give satisfaction to the people represented. This meant a distinct executive and a distinct parliamentary power, a government for the whole of Australia and it meant a Parliament of two Houses, a house of commons and a senate, which would legislate on these great subjects. …

Sir Henry Parkes at Tenterfield, 24 October 1889, reported in the Sydney Morning Herald, 25 October 1889, p. 8.