17 March 1997

A book by four University of Queensland academics describing Australian life at Federation may become the official historical reference for the centennial celebrations in 2001.

The National Australia Day Council commissioned History Department Associate Professors Kay Saunders and Raymond Evans and Clive Moore and researcher Bryan Jamison in early 1996 to write the book.

The book entitled 1901: Our Future's Past (Pan MacMillan) will be launched in Canberra in May this year.

Dr Moore said the book comprised documents, illustrations and commentaries about life for ordinary people as well as the political 'movers and shakers' before and after Federation on January 1, 1901.

'As the book has been commissioned by the Council, it may well become the national history volume for Federation and an important reference before and during the 2001 celebrations,' Dr Moore said.

'Winning the commission to write the book was not only a coup for the University of Queensland's History Department but for Queensland. The State features strongly in the book especially in discussions of the White Australia immigration policy of the time.

'The highly influential role played by Queensland's then Attorney-General Sir Samuel Griffith is also explored. He was responsible for writing the first draft of the Constitution and was appointed the first Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.'

Dr Moore said the book featured a front cover photograph of the distinctive 'Queenslander' Matsen family home in Mackay and diary entries by Mr Matsen, a canefarmer in the area.

'In one diary entry, on New Year's Day 1901, he recalls the achievements of the nineteenth century (for example, steam power) and looks forward to the new century, even predicting humans will develop the technology to fly. He was a very clever old man,' Dr Moore said.

At Federation, the six British Australian colonies came together to form the Commonwealth of Australia on January 1, 1901.

This followed almost 50 years of debate and a series of People's Conventions in the 1890s with each colony jockeying for power in the new structure.

'Many issues had to be resolved before Federation could take place including describing the powers of the new Commonwealth and its relationship with Britain,' Dr Moore said.

'Much discussion occurred about what sort of nation Australia wanted to be - in fact, the same sort of arguments occurred then as are happening now in discussions about a Republic.'

Dr Moore said the book was aimed at academics as well as upper level secondary school students and the general public.

'This is an educational book for all Australians explaining what the country was like at Federation. Aboriginal Australians also feature strongly in the book,' he said.

Its three sections dealt with Australian society at the time of Federation (Dr Evans), the political moves towards Federation from the 1850s (Dr Saunders) and Australia's position in the world in the late 1890s and early 1900s (Dr Moore). Mr Jamison contributed research to all three sections.

For more information, contact Dr Moore (telephone 3365 6337).