All topics

Part 1

The nation of Australia

Federation in 1901, migration waves, and English as our national language.

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The yarn

  • In 1901 the separate colonies united into a federation of states called the Commonwealth of Australia.
  • At Federation our national democratic institutions — the national parliament, government and the High Court — were established under the new Australian Constitution.
  • In 1901 Australia's population was about 4 million. That count did not include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples until after the 1967 Referendum.
  • A wave of non-British migration came after World War II, when millions of Europeans had to leave their homelands.
  • People from more than 200 countries have made Australia home. Australia's national language is English, and migrants should learn and use English to help them participate in society.