Robert Gordon (Bob) Menzies, fourth child of James and Kate (née Sampson), is born. His family is political active, and conservative.
The Premiers of the Australian colonies, meeting in Hobart, agree to hold a new federation convention.
Tom Roberts painting "Bailed Up" is shown for the first time at an exhibition in Sydney.
South Australian women vote for the first time in an election for the Legislative Assembly. They are the first women to vote for any Australian parliament.
Sir Henry Parkers, former Premier of New South Wales, died aged 80. He is commonly referred to as 'Father of Federation', though he did not live to see it.
The British Empire celebrates the 60 year reign of Queen Victoria. The Australian Premiers travel to London for the celebrations. Contingents of Australian colonial troops participate in the parade. The Queen sends a telegram of thanks to the Australian colonies.
Pattie Mae Leckie, future wife of Robert Gordon Menzies, is born into a politically active family. Her father was a businessman and politician, later serving as a Minister under Menzies.
War begins between the two Boer Republics and the British Empire. The Australian colonies, and later the Commonwealth, dispatch troops. It is the Commonwealth's first war. Initially popular, enthusiasm waned as the war dragged on. The Boer's finally surrendered in 1902.
Colonial Labour parties vote to establish a Federal Labour Party. Following the first Federal election, the Federal Parliamentary Labour Party holds its first caucus on 8 May 1901.
The Constitution of Australia comes into force, bringing the colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia into a federation and establishing a national government. The first federal election follows in March 1901, contested by the Protectionist, Free Trade, and Labor parties.
The Duke of Cornwall and York, the future George V, opened the Parliament in a ceremony at the Exhibition Building in Melbourne before 12,000 guests.
The Immigration Restriction Act receives Royal Assent, enacting the "White Australia" policy. The policy had broad support across the political spectrum for a variety of reasons. The Act introduced a dictation test to prevent the immigration of non-Europeans. The language test was required because the British Government was opposed to any direct mention of race, fearing it would offend non-white subjects of the Crown and her new ally, Japan. The second Menzies Government would commence the watering down of the policy from 1949.
The federal election of 1903 was the first in which women could exercise the same rights as men to vote and stand for parliament.
The short-lived government of Chris Watson – lasting from April to August 1904 – becomes the first national Labour government anywhere in the world.
In the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, after hearing an application by Sunshine Harvester Works, Justice H.B. Higgins rules a ''fair and reasonable'' wage must be paid, based on the needs of employees not the means of the employer. Although struck down in the High Court the following year, the decision helped shape Australian industrial relations for the next eighty years.
Menzies attends the private College on a scholarship, following his older brother Frank.
The Free Trade and Protectionist groupings in parliament combine to form the Commonwealth Liberal Party. This united non-Labor force was a forerunner of Menzies’ Liberal Party of Australia. The 'fusion' sees Alfred Deakin become Prime Minister for the third and final time.
Menzies wins another scholarship, attending Wesley College.
The federal election of 1910 saw the election of Labour’s Andrew Fisher as Prime Minister, leading the first majority government in Australia’s history. It would also be the last time the ALP went to an election as the 'Labour' Party, changing the spelling to 'Labor' in 1912.
Menzies earns a Bachelor of Law with First Class Honours in 1916. He is also president of the Student Christian Union and Student Representative Council, wins the Bowen Prize and is editor of the student newspaper. He is commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Melbourne University Rifles. He earns a Master of Laws in 1918.
As war in Europe appears inevitable, and an election campaign is underway in Australia, Andrew Fisher famously declares that Australia will support Britain in the looming conflict: Australians will stand beside our own to help and defend her to the last man and the last shilling.''' The Prime Minister Joseph Cook declared, ''If the old country is at war, so are we.'"
Australian soldiers are engaged in the first major action of the war. British journalist, Eliis Ashmead-Bartlett, assures relieved Australian readers, "These raw colonial troops in these desperate hours proved worthy to fight side by side with the heroes of Mons...'' The casualty lists would arrive later.
Robert's older brother Frank enlists in the AIF, he is later commissioned and serves on the Western Front. He is gassed in March 1918 and returns to Australia the following year. Les Menzies also enlists. Robert Menzies faces the dilemma of whether to join the AIF. Though a supporter of the war and, later, conscription, he does not enlist. It may be that his family decided having two of their eligible sons in the AIF was enough. His political enemies would later taunt him for not enlisting. Only two future Australian Prime Ministers served in the war, Stanley Bruce and Earle Page.
Andrew Fisher, worn out by ill health and the stress of party divisions, resigns. He is replaced by William Morris Hughes. Billy Hughes was a dominant figure in Australian politics for half a century and was, at various times, a member of the Labor Party, the Nationalists, the United Australia Party and, finally, the Liberal Party.
In a well executed plan, Australian troops evacuate from the peninsula. Over 8,000 Australians were killed or died of wounds or disease.
Irish Republicans occupy key buildings in Dublin. The revolt is put down after several days of savaging fighting. Australian soldiers on leave in Dublin are involved in putting down the rebellion. The Uprising will cast a shadow in Australia, influencing attitudes towards conscription and further dividing Catholics and Protestants.
The AIF is engaged in its first major actions on the Western Front as part of the broader Somme campaign. Over a three week period at Pozieres, the Australian divisions suffer 23,000 casualties, with almost 7,000 men killed. Three weeks on the Western Front proves almost as expensive as the eight months on Gallipoli.
The first conscription referendum is narrowly defeated. The debate reveals fault lines in Australian society based on class and religious denomination. The Labor Government is deeply divided. A majority of the AIF votes for conscription.
The conscription issue bitterly divides the Labor Party. Ahead of moves to expel him from the party, Hughes leaves the caucus with several colleagues. They later form a National Government with the opposition.
Australia empathically returns the Nationalists to government, Despite the rejection of the first conscription referendum, the Australian public endorses Billy Hughes's approach to winning the war.
Daniel Mannix, Catholic cleric and bitter opponent of Billy Hughes, is made Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne.
All five Australian division are involved in the Third Battle of Ypres. Initial success is thwarted by poor weather. The Australians experience 38,000 casualties.
Eggs are thrown at the Prime Minister during a conscription rally. Hughes, enraged by what he saw as the inaction of the Queensland Police, later orders the creation of a Commonwealth Police Force, the predecessor to the Australian Federal Police.
The AIF divisions in France are facing critical shortages of manpower, while enlistments are declining. Hughes attempts a second referendum on conscription. The electorate rejects conscription for the second time, with the 'no' vote increasing. Once again, a majority of the AIF vote for conscription.
Menzies reads with Owen Dixon, then a leading junior barrister. Building his practice, he starts to specialise in constitutional law.
Beginning with the Battle of Amiens on 8 August, the Allies begin a series of successful offensives against the Germans in France. The AIF plays a prominent role, before being withdrawn for rest in October. The end of the war is in sight.
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Germany surrenders ending World War 1.
Over the next 12 months around 10,000 Australians would die of the flu.
The first radio "broadcast" in Australia by (Sir) Ernest Fisk of the Amalgamated Wireless Australasia on 19 August 1919, who arranged for the National Anthem ('God Save the King') to be broadcast from one building to another at the end of a lecture at the Royal Society of New South Wales. Radio stations develop during the 1920s.
Hughes returned from the Peace Conference in Paris a hero. The Nationalists comfortably win the election, but with a reduced margin. It is the first Commonwealth election with preferential voting.
Menzies appears in the High Court, acting for the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. Menzies establishes his reputation as one of the leading legal minds of his generation. The Court's decision profoundly influences Commonwealth and State relations.
Three returned servicemen, two of them former members of the Australian Flying Corps, form the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd.
Edith Cowan OBE, Western Australian social reformer, is elected to the Legislative Assembly. She is the first woman elected to an Australian parliament.
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