Origins
Early proposals
Six colonies
Drafting a constitution
Declaration of the Commonwealth

Election
Conducting the first Federal election
Who could vote?
The election campaign

Opening
9 May 1901
The royal visit
Celebrations

Members
The first federal parliamentarians
Ministry of May, 1901
Edmund Barton

Work
Political parties
Legislative program
Relationship between the houses
Administration

For Peace, Order and Good Government Exhibition, 2001-2008

Photograph 1

Photograph 2

Photograph 3

Photograph 4

Photograph 5

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Photograph 7

Photograph 8

Photograph 9

Photograph 10

Exhibition Credits

Title:

For Peace, Order and Good Government. The First Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia

Location:

Presiding Officers’ Display Area, first floor, Senate side, Parliament House, Canberra

Time span:

March 2001–March 2008

Design:

Andrew Rankine Design Associates (ARDA), Canberra

Construction:

Designcraft, Canberra

Printing:

The Exhibition Centre, Canberra

Curation:

Kay Walsh and Amanda Hill, with assistance from the staff of the Research Section, Senate Procedure Office