Sir Edmund Barton

 

Another week is here and as it is Monday I am going to tell you a little about another Australian this time it is, Sir Edmund Barton.

Sir Edmund "Toby" Barton GCMG KC was an Australian statesman, barrister and jurist who served as the first prime minister of Australia from 1901 to 1903, holding office as the leader of the Protectionist Party. He resigned to become a founding member of the High Court of Australia, on which he served until his death.

He was born in Glebe in New South Wales on the 18 January 1849, He was one of the nine children of William Barton and Mary Louise Whydah, English immigrants who arrived in Australia in 1824. William was a secretary and accountant for an agricultural company, and later became a stockbroker. Mary ran a school for girls.

Barton attended Fort Street School from 1856 to 1858, and then went to Sydney Grammar. He went on to the University of Sydney, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1868, and a Master of Arts in 1870.

He became a barrister in 1871 and set up a successful legal practice, joining the Sydney Mechanics Institute to learn the art of debating. He married Jane (Je anie) Mason Ross in 1877, and together they had six children.

He was certainly qualified for his new job. He had been a member of the Parliament of New South Wales for 20 years, and had served terms as Speaker of its Legislative Assembly, Attorney-General and Leader of the Opposition.

Barton had worked on Federation for 10 years, and became Australia’s first Prime Minister because the supporters of Federation trusted him.

He entered New South Wales colonial politics in 1877, standing unsuccessfully as a candidate for the University seat in the Legislative Assembly, but winning the seat in 1879. He switched to the Wellington seat in 1880, then in 1882 to East Sydney, which he held until 1887.

Barton was an appointed member of the Legislative Council from 1887 to 1891, then regained East Sydney in 1891, held it until 1894, and lost it again. He became a member of the Legislative Council again from 1897 to 1898, and was then re-elected to the Legislative Assembly for Hastings-Macleay, which he represented from 1897 to 1899.

He held various positions while a member of colonial parliament, including Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 1883–87, Attorney-General 1889 and 1891–93, and Leader of the Opposition 1898–99.

Barton and his supporters conducted a vigorous pro-federation campaign preceding the June 1898 referendum on federation. The constitution was accepted by the required majority in South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, but not in New South Wales.

At the New South Wales election in July 1898, dominated by the federation issue, Barton won the seat of Hastings-Macleay and thus returned to the Legislative Assembly. In September 1898 he replaced the anti-federationist, William Lyne, as Opposition Leader.

The Premier, George Houston Reid, and Barton worked together to promote the federal cause to the New South Wales electorate. From April to July 1899 a second referendum on federation was conducted in New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, each of which accepted an amended constitution by a larger majority than in June 1898. On 2 September that year, Queensland, voting for the first time, approved the bill.

Barton led the Australian delegation to London in early 1900 to negotiate amendments to the Constitution Bill the UK Government desired, and to oversee the safe passage of the Bill through the UK parliament.

On 9 July 1900 Queen Victoria gave Royal Assent to the Act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia.

On 18 July 1900 Lord Hopetoun, former governor of Victoria (1889–95), was named as inaugural Governor-General of Australia.

Among the first Acts of Barton’s government in 1901 was legislation to restrict immigration, thus instituting the White Australia policy. (so not right in my opinion)

The Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 established uniform federal franchise. This gave the vote to adult British subjects resident in Australia for at least six months, but excluded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and African and Asian immigrants.

The legislative task of the first parliament was to establish a Commonwealth administration. Parliament passed 59 of the 84 bills introduced by the Barton government, including 21 money (appropriation and supply) bills. Other important legislation included:

• Acts Interpretation Act 1901 which set out standards and conventions for drafting all subsequent bills

• Audit Act 1901 provided for supervision of government spending and reporting to Parliament

• Customs Act 1901 and Excise Act 1901 which were revenue-raising Acts

• Judiciary Act 1903 to set up the High Court.

• Defence Act 1903 to establish control of military and naval forces.

• Immigration Restriction Act 1901 to implement the White Australia policy.

Ok I have bored enough for this post.