![]() Sir Henry Parkes Portrait by J.H.Chinner watercolour; 26 x 16 cm PIC R40650 National Library of Australia |
THE NATIONAL
LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA'S FEDERATION GATEWAY PARKES, SIR HENRY (1815-1896) Henry Parkes was
born on 27 May 1815 in Stoneleigh, England, and is known as the 'Father of
Federation' . He arrived in Australia in 1839 with his family, emigrating from
England. After assisting in political campaigns including that of John Dunmore
Lang in 1850 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council (the New
South Wales Upper House) in 1854. He moved to the Legislative Assembly in 1856.
His political career included five periods as Premier of New South Wales,
despite interruptions through insolvency. In 1866 Parkes became a Minister in
the government of James Martin, and became Premier of New South Wales in 1872
for the first time. Parkes expressed interest in a federation as early as the
1867 '...these colonies should be united by some federal bond of connection'
and in speeches at the 1880-1881 inter-colonial conference.
Parkes pursued with enthusiasm his
dream, resulting in the inter-colonial conference in Melbourne in 1890. In
setting forth the issues to be addressed, such as tariffs, trade and defence,
in 1891 Parkes introduced conciliation and arbitration legislation-the first in
the Australian colonies. Parkes made a most significant contribution to
Federation. He presided over the first Federal convention held in Sydney in
1891. The draft constitution of this convention provided the basis for the next
10 years of discussion and negotiation between the Colonies. Ill health forced
him to retire from proceedings. Sir Samuel Griffith took his place representing
Queensland; Edmund Barton (NSW); Andrew Inglis Clark (Tas.); Charles Cameron
Kingston (S.A.); all contributing to the constitution. |
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