Documenting Democracy

These documents built on the foundations to define the ways colonial parliaments and courts developed the democratic forms emerging during the second half of the 19th century. They blazed the trail following Federation and reveal the constitutional shaping of the Commonwealth, the States and the Northern Territory to the end of the 20th century.

Follow the documents in:

the colonial trail to plot the various ways colonial parliaments and courts developed

the Federal trail to look through the documents shaping the institutions of law and government in the states, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory since Federation

the Commonwealth trail to trace the emergence of the Commonwealth of Australia from colonies to nation

Colonial trail

Artist William Strutt's sketch of the opening of the first Parliament of Victoria under responsible government, on 25 November 1856. The Parliament comprised a fully elected Legislative Assembly as well as the Legislative Council.

This poster featured the six Colonial Premiers.

Federal trail

This poster, featuring the six Colonial Premiers, was a voter's commemorative certificate recording the successful result of Victoria's final Federation referendum held on 27 July 1899 – of a total of 163 783 voters, 152 653 voted for the Constitution Bill and Federation. The voter presented with this certificate was Arthur A Calwell, father of the future Leader of the Australian Labor Party.

Commonwealth trail

Queen Elizabeth II signs her Assent to the Australia Act on 2 March 1986 at Government House, Canberra, with David Reid, Secretary to the Executive Council (left) and Prime Minister Bob Hawke.