FOR AND AGAINST: Different Views on the Constitution

By 1898, most people seemed to agree that Australia was destined to federate eventually but many argued fiercely about the terms on which they should do it. In order to federate, the people of the colonies of Australia had to vote to accept a Draft Bill that the Federal Convention of 1897 prepared. This Bill was a proposed constitution for the Commonwealth of Australia. The constitution set out the rules by which Australia would be governed after Federation. The following documents give some examples of the differences of opinion about these rules, or terms, of the constitution.