Alfred Deakin, Father of Federation

1. ALFRED
DEAKIN
Father of Federation
By Zareer Nuraz 

2. Beginnings
ALFRED DEAKIN, FATHER OF FEDERATION
Alfred Deakin was born on 3 August in 1856, in
Collingwood (which is now part of Fitzroy),
Victoria, second of the two children of William
Deakin and Sarah Bill, who emigrated from
England to Adelaide in 1849. His dad, William,
first worked as a clerk in Adelaide, before
moving to Melbourne in 1851 during the
Victorian Gold Rush. After prospecting for a
time, William opened a coach and carting
business with Deakin’s mother’s brother, then
worked as an accountant and manager of coach
firms, including Cobb & Co.
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INC.
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Deakin as a child.

3. EDUCATION AND LIFE BEFORE FEDERATION
Deakin was educated at the Melbourne Church of
England Grammar School and studied law at the
University of Melbourne, from where he graduated in
1877. He was admitted as a barrister in 1878.
Deakin found little work and later became a journalist
with The Age newspaper. Throughout his later career in
federal parliament, he wrote regularly and anonymously
for the Morning Post, commenting on Australian politics.
Deakin married Patti Browne in 1882. They had three
children.
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ALFR
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DEAKI
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O
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FEDER
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Deakin in his late teens.

4. EARLY PARLIAMENTARY LIFE
• Deakin was elected for the West Bourke seat in the Victorian
Legislative Assembly in February 1879. Soon after he delivered his
maiden speech, he resigned, following a press allegation that eligible
voters had been excluded from voting.
• Deakin unsuccessfully contested West Bourke at the subsequent by-
election, but he won it back in July 1880. He held the seat until 1889,
when he won the Essendon seat, which he held until his resignation in
1900 to enter federal politics.
• Deakin attended the colonial conference in London in 1877 with the
Victorian delegation and impressed the United Kingdom statesmen
with his comments on difficulties faced by the self-governing colonies.
• He attended the first Federal Convention in Sydney on March 1891 as
a delegate for Victoria and was also a member of the Constitutional
Committee. When the draft Constitution Bill lapsed, Deakin refused to
take any further ministerial positions.
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INC.
ALFRED
DEAKIN,
FATHER
OF
FEDERATION
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5. FEDERATION CAMPAIGN
PRESENTATION
TITLE
Deakin attended the second Federal Convention in March 1897 as the third-placed popularly elected
delegate for Victoria. He participated actively in convention debates but performed his main role beyond
the conference hall, talking round anti-federationist delegates to support the federationist movement.
The compelling pro-federation speeches Deakin made around Victoria in 1897 and 1898 made a major
turn to public opinion in favour of federation. On 3–4 June 1898 a referendum was held to approve the
constitution draft. The constitution was accepted by the required majority in South Australia, Tasmania
and Victoria, but New South Wales did not meet the requirements.
The second federal referendum, held in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and
Victoria from April to September 1899 saw voters in each colony approve the amended Constitution Bill
with the required majority.
Deakin joined Barton’s delegation of six Australian politicians who went to London early in 1900 to
negotiate amendments to the Constitution Bill with the UK Government. Deakin and Barton, close friends
at this point, performed outstandingly in a series of conferences with Secretary of The Colonies Joseph
Chamberlain.
From May to June 1900 the Commonwealth Constitution Bill passed through UK parliament and was
granted Royal Assent by Queen Victoria on 9 July 1900.
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6. PRIME MINISTER DEAKIN(1ST TERM)
Deakin took over as prime minister, leading a
Protectionist government, on 24 September 1903
when Barton quit politics to become a judge of the
new High Court.
Deakin retained government at the second general
election on 16 December 1903 but had to rely on
Labor support. He held that post for another four
months, until 27 April 1904, when his government was
defeated in parliament over a squabble on the Labor
amendment to the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill.
Deakin resigned the prime ministership, which then
went to Labor leader Chris Watson.
ALFRED
DEAKIN,
FATHER
OF
FEDERATION
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7. 2ND AND 3RD TERMS
• Deakin became prime minister for the second time on 5 July 1905 when
George Reid resigned. Deakin’s minority government survived with Labor
support. He retained power at the third general election on 12 December
1906, again with Labor support.
• Deakin’s second Protectionist government fell on 13 November 1908 when
Deakin resigned because he was not prepared to accept Labor’s ‘preference
for unionists’ amendment.
• After losing office to Andrew Fisher’s Labor Party, Deakin arranged a merger
of his followers in May 1909 (some were still known as Protectionists, while
others were calling themselves Deakinites) with his former political foes, the
Free Traders (now led by Joseph Cook, succeeding George Reid as leader
of the group in November 1908). The new grouping was known as the
Fusion party.
• On 2 June 1909, the Fusion defeated Fisher’s Labor government in
parliament. Deakin was commissioned to form his third government, with
Cook as his deputy. Deakin’s Fusion government was defeated at the
general election on 13 April 1910.
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ALFRED DEAKIN, FATHER OF FEDERATION
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INC.
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ALFRED
DEAKIN,
FATHER
OF
FEDERATION
THANK YOU
Zareer Nuraz
TheEnderMancer53006
Knight of the Realm of Pog
theendermancer53006@gmail.com
www.wattpad.com/user/TheEnderMancer53006
Info Credits:
https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/features/prime-
ministers/alfred-deakin

9. SIKE
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