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Was Australia under British control?

Yes. Australia was colonised by Britain in 1788, and thus was completely under British control until 1901, the years of Australia's Federation. Even then, Australia remained under diminishing British control right up until the Australia Act of 1986.


When was New Holland renamed Australia?

The name "Australia" was formally adopted in 1824, but the western half of the continent (then known as New Holland) was not considered part of Australia until the British formally claimed it in 1829.


When was the Australia constitution created?

Australia's constitution was decided by the Constitutional Convention which met in 1897 to develop a constitution for the proposed federation. Discussion of the constitution commenced on 22 March 1897. After not being accepted by the states the first time, the amended Commonwealth Constitution was given Royal Assent on 9 July 1900. On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies was achieved, the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed, and the Australian Constitution was officially adopted.


Why is Australia still under British government?

Australia is not still under British government.Australia was colonised by Great Britain, and for over a century, was indeed under the British government. British rule of Australia began to be chipped away at Federation on 1 January 1901, when the Commonwealth of Australia was created. This gave Australia the right to govern itself.Although the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia came into effect at Federation, this did not mean that Australia was now independent of the British government. When the UK approved colonial federation, it meant that the six self-governing states of Australia allocated some functions to a federal authority. Australia gained the status of a Dominion, which meant it remained a self-governing colony within the British Empire, with the Head of State being the British monarch. The British government appointed Australia's Governor-General and State Governors, who answered to the British government.All Dominions within the British Empire were declared "equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations" at the Imperial Conference of 1926. The Statute of Westminster 1931 ratified the discussions of the Imperial Conference. This meant that Australia and other Dominions such as South Africa, New Zealand and Canada could now conduct treaties and agreements with foreign powers, and manage their own military strategies. No longer were the Australian Governor-General, Parliament and individual governors answerable to the UK. The British monarch could only act on the advice of the Australian Government, and the Governor-General was no longer appointed by and answerable to the British monarch.The defeat of the large British garrison at Singapore in January 1942 came as a very unwelcome shock to the Australian government. It exposed the weakness of Britain and led Australia to seek much closer ties with the US and it was felt that for this the country needed full independence; hence the date for activating the 1931 Statute of Westminster. Australian Parliament formally adopted the Statute of Westminster 1931 under the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942, on 9 October 1942.Australia reached the next and final stage of independence from British government on 3 March 1986, when the Australia Acts came into effect. The Australia Acts declared that Australia had the status of a Sovereign, Independent and Federal Nation. The nation still retains Elizabeth II as head of state, but her position as Australia's head of state is a completely separate position from her position as the head of state of any other country, including the UK. What the Australia Act effectively did was remove the ability of the British Government to make laws for Australia and removed the last legal link with the UK by abolishing the right of appeal to the judicial committee of the Privy Council. Also it was not until 1988 that the last state, Queensland, removed this from their statutes as well.Some might argue Australia is still under the British government as the country is still technically ruled by the British monarchy; however, it must be noted that the monarchy does not have any right to interfere with Australian laws. Australia has the freedom to become a republic any time it chooses.


Is Australia a British province?

No. Australia is not a British province.Prior to 1901, Australia was made up of six self-governing colonies, all of which were under British rule. On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies was achieved and the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed, and the country was then led by Australia's first Prime Minister, Edmund Barton. This gave Australia the right to govern itself.Although the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia came into effect at Federation, this did not mean that Australia was now independent of Britain. When the UK approved colonial federation, it simply meant that the six self-governing states of Australia allocated some functions to a federal authority. Australia gained the status of a Dominion, which meant it remained a self-governing colony within the British Empire, with the Head of State being the British monarch. The British government appointed Australia's Governor-General and State Governors, who answered to the British government.All Dominions within the British Empire were declared "equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations" at the Imperial Conference of 1926. The Statute of Westminster 1931 ratified the discussions of the Imperial Conference. This meant that Australia and other Dominions such as South Africa, New Zealand and Canada could now conduct treaties and agreements with foreign powers, and manage their own military strategies. No longer were the Australian Governor-General, Parliament and individual governors answerable to the UK. The British monarch could only act on the advice of the Australian Government, and the Governor-General was no longer appointed by and answerable to the British monarch.The defeat of the large British garrison at Singapore in January 1942 came as a very unwelcome shock to the Australian government. It exposed the weakness of Britain and led Australia to seek much closer ties with the US and it was felt that for this the country needed full independence; hence the date for activating the 1931 Statute of Westminster. Australian Parliament formally adopted the Statute of Westminster 1931 under the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942, on 9 October 1942.Australia reached the next stage of independence from Britain on 3 March 1986, when the Australia Acts came into effect. The Australia Acts declared that Australia had the status of a Sovereign, Independent and Federal Nation. The nation still retains Elizabeth II as head of state, but her position as Australia's head of state is a completely separate position from her position as the head of state of any other country, including the UK. What the Australia Act effectively did was remove the ability of the British Government to make laws for Australia and removed the last legal link with the UK by abolishing the right of appeal to the judicial committee of the Privy Council. Also it was not until 1988 that the last state, Queensland, removed this from their statutes as well.Some might say Australia is still on a path to independence as we are still technically under the British monarchy, even though that monarchy does not have any right to interfere with Australian laws. There will always be those who disagree with the above, as it could be said that Australia received independence in varying degrees.

Related Questions

When did Australia's name become official?

Australia has only ever had one "official" name, and that is its current name: The Commonwealth of Australia, which was adopted on 1 January 1901, at Federation. As a continent, the name "Australia" was adopted in 1824, but this did not refer to the country, as Australia was not yet a country, but a group of colonies occupying the same continent.


Under what flag did Australia fight in ww1?

Australia fought under the Australian flag in World War I. Australia had adopted its own flag shortly after Federation in 1901, and it had been approved by King Edward VII in 1902.


How did common law arrive in Australia?

Australia's legal system was basically adopted from the British legal system along with common law.


When was Australia founded?

Australia was founded on 26 January 1788, but it became 'The Commonwealth of Australia' upon federation of the states on 1 January 1901.In 1788 the British Government established a penal colony on the east coast of the continent called Terra Australis, which had been claimed by James Cook under the name of New South Wales when he charted it in 1770. (Originally, the Dutch called the western half of the continent New Holland.) The term 'Australia' was adopted for the continent in 1824, but it did not become a country until Federation in 1901.


How did Australia stop being part of the British Empire?

Although Australia gained much autonomy in 1901 as a British dominion, it was not until passage of British Statute of Westminister 1931 that its total independence was asserted. Australia adopted this law in 1942 but was backdated to 1939.


How did western Australia got its name?

When the Commonwealth of Australia was founded after Australia began to gain it's independence in 1901, the colony was already called Western Australia. When it was adopted by the federation in 1901, the name was kept and it was made a state. It was most likely called Western Australia because it is on the western side of Australia.


Was Australia under British control?

Yes. Australia was colonised by Britain in 1788, and thus was completely under British control until 1901, the years of Australia's Federation. Even then, Australia remained under diminishing British control right up until the Australia Act of 1986.


When was New Holland changed to Australia?

The name "Australia" was formally adopted in 1824, but the western half of the continent (then known as New Holland) was not considered part of Australia until the British formally claimed it in 1829.


When was New Holland renamed Australia?

The name "Australia" was formally adopted in 1824, but the western half of the continent (then known as New Holland) was not considered part of Australia until the British formally claimed it in 1829.


When was the Australia constitution created?

Australia's constitution was decided by the Constitutional Convention which met in 1897 to develop a constitution for the proposed federation. Discussion of the constitution commenced on 22 March 1897. After not being accepted by the states the first time, the amended Commonwealth Constitution was given Royal Assent on 9 July 1900. On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies was achieved, the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed, and the Australian Constitution was officially adopted.


When was Australia's constitution established?

Australia's constitution was decided by the Constitutional Convention which met in 1897 to develop a constitution for the proposed federation. Discussion of the constitution commenced on 22 March 1897. After not being accepted by the states the first time, the amended Commonwealth Constitution was given Royal Assent on 9 July 1900. On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies was achieved, the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed, and the Australian Constitution was officially adopted.


How old is Australia's constitution?

In 2013, Australia's Constituion is 112 years old. Australia's constitution was decided by the Constitutional Convention which met in 1897 to develop a constitution for the proposed federation. Discussion of the constitution commenced on 22 March 1897. After not being accepted by the states the first time, the amended Commonwealth Constitution was given Royal Assent on 9 July 1900. On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies was achieved, the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed, and the Australian Constitution was officially adopted.