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PDF (Whole Thesis) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern ...

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5.7 Category 4: Australia as a Colony, or Legislatively Part <strong>of</strong> Great Britain<br />

5.7.1 Discourses <strong>of</strong> Federation.<br />

Within the discourse <strong>of</strong> the Federation <strong>of</strong> Australia, there is an obvious communication <strong>of</strong><br />

allegiance maintained to Great Britain, despite political separation. An exception to this is in<br />

New history for seventh grade (Dunlop & Palfrey 1932a), which focuses on the technical<br />

operation <strong>of</strong> Australia’s parliamentary system. This allegiance is attributed to both practical<br />

topics (such as future military protection) and emotional concepts (connection to ancestry and<br />

symbols <strong>of</strong> the Empire, such as flags). Federation features prominently in textbooks and is<br />

<strong>of</strong>ten connected with Great Britain. For example, the New syllabus history for sixth grade<br />

textbook attributes the development <strong>of</strong> Federation to Great Britain in a chapter titled<br />

Responsible Government (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1932b, pp. 71-73). A story <strong>of</strong> the Australian<br />

people (Cramp, 1927) attributes two out <strong>of</strong> five reasons for Australia’s federation to Great<br />

Britain; whilst the Queensland Reader Book V (Department <strong>of</strong> Public Instruction, 1913b, pp.<br />

219-225) contains a seven page narrative titled The Founding <strong>of</strong> the Commonwealth. The<br />

following example articulates a legislative requirement to follow Great Britain, and also a<br />

move away from formal British governance:<br />

The will <strong>of</strong> the people being thus expressed, a Constitution Bill was submitted to the<br />

Imperial Parliament and a delegation representing six colonies went to London to<br />

make clear the wishes <strong>of</strong> Australia on all points <strong>of</strong> importance. On 9 th July, 1900, the<br />

Bill received the assent <strong>of</strong> the late Queen Victoria...On the 17 th September the Queen<br />

signed the proclamation which declared that on the first day <strong>of</strong> January, 1901, the<br />

people...should be united in a Federal Commonwealth under the name <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Commonwealth <strong>of</strong> Australia. (Department <strong>of</strong> Public Instruction, 1913b, p. 224)<br />

The Cramp (1927) authored textbook, includes the following excerpt from Chapter 32:<br />

Federation, aimed at the same age group as the Queensland Reader Book V:<br />

It was felt that the peoples <strong>of</strong> Australia should come together in a Federation for<br />

several reasons.<br />

(1) British settlements should feel a common interest because <strong>of</strong> their common<br />

race. They should come closer together, and not drift apart.<br />

(2) ...<br />

(3) As separate colonies they would never have much influence with the rest <strong>of</strong> the<br />

world. Even England herself would not pay sufficient respect to their requests and<br />

165

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