In the following extract the Premier of Victoria, Duncan Gillies, is writing to Henry Parkes, the Premier of New South Wales, on the subject of a federal defence strategy. Unlike Parkes (see Defence Document 1), Gillies thinks that a combined defence strategy can be achieved whether or not the colonies agree to federate.

Focus questions
DeQ4 Why does Gillies want 'steps to be taken now' to unite forces, instead of waiting until a Federal Parliament is established?
DeQ5 Why does Gillies think that the colonies would voluntarily agree to support and fund defence enabling acts prepared by the Federal Council?

UNITED ACTION FOR DEFENCE

… Connected with this question of the establishment of a Federal Parliament and Federal Government is still that other one which must be solved – whether a Federal Parliament and Federal Government be agreed to or not – and that is, to determine the steps to be taken now which will enable Australia to unite her forces in any emergency, and thereby make her defences effective. Even if the Federal Government be agreed to, it must take four or five years before it can be brought about, and should the proposal not be agreed to – should all not be able to see eye to eye – are we to remain a concourse of disintegrated atoms, so far as defence is concerned, and be prepared to sacrifice the national interests of Australia, rather than subordinate our individual preferences to obtain united action?

I have indicated that whatever be the result of our discussion on the great Federation question, provision should at once be made for united action for defence, and I was therefore pleased to notice that you had re-examined the provisions of the Federal Council Act to see if relief could not be found there. … It has certainly been urged by some that the Federal Council may pass its Acts but could not enforce them for want of executive authority; and they would, therefore, be a dead letter should any colony refuse to give effect to them. Very true, because they would simply be enabling Acts; but the assumption of the whole situation is – that every colony on this continent is anxious to be clothed with the power to act unitedly in the matter of defence, and that their troops should be enabled to stand shoulder to shoulder with the troops of other colonies in any emergency. If this assumption be wrong, then we are idling our time in further considering the matter. If, on the contrary, the assumption be correct, may I ask which colony will refuse to help when help is needed, or refuse to provide the necessary funds to do its part in the defence of Australia? It is not the first time that these colonies have acted together in matters involving a large expenditure of public money, without a thought of evading any responsibility; and, as we have required no Acts in the past, there is no reason to anticipate the necessity for Acts of coercion in the future to enforce payments of any honourable obligations. … What we have, and desire to make the most of, is a small compact little force in each colony capable of good and effective work, if a law were enacted to make their mobilization possible, as well as to secure their proper direction and control. It is to urge the importance of making this law speedily that I have invited your attention to the way in which the powers of the Federal Council can be exercised. …

Duncan Gillies, 13 November 1889, SLV, MS 10037, MSB 130.