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Assess The Impact Of Early Laws On Australian Society After Federation

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Assess the impact of early laws on Australian society after federation. The early laws of Australian society left an immense impact on those looking to move to Australia as free settlers and Australian citizens during the 1900s, changing Australian society and shaping it the way it is today. Some of these laws were the Immigration Restriction Act, Harvester judgment, Commonwealth franchise and the Australian constitution. The immigration restriction act of 1901 was put in order due to the great fear of Asian immigrants overrunning the country and would take all the jobs due to the willingness to work for less money than the average Anglo-Saxon worker displacing British culture. In 1901, the immigration restriction (according to source B of …show more content…

Hugh McKay manufactured many various types of agricultural machinery such as the notable Sunshine Harvester in his factory located in Victoria. The Excise tariff act of 1906 made it so McKay had to pay tax on each Sunshine Harvester sold in Victoria. With this new law, McKay applied to the court for an exemption from paying tax on the Sunshine Harvester. For the court to approve this exemption, every worker under McKays payroll must be paid at least 42 shillings per week to be determined as a fair and reasonable wage. Justice Henry Bournes Higgins determined that 42 shillings per week was enough to support the average sized family working under his management (according to source B page 4). McKay was paying a small percentage of workers less than this amount, for Justice Higgins ruled that McKay had to pay tax on each of his Sunshine Harvesters sold in Victoria. While Mckay still had to pay tax on the Sunshine Harvester, the Harvester judgment set a foundation in Australian society and built the walls for a ‘living wage’ providing Australian workers with a fair amount of …show more content…

At the time of federation in 1901 only two Australian states granted women's voting rights: South and Western Australia. Numerous long and exhausting protests on women's rights led to the Commonwealth franchise act of 1902. This act paved the way for women's rights, allowing them to vote in each and every Australian state. This act allowed women over the age of 21 to vote in federal parliament elections (according to source B of a nation booklet). Some states such as Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria did not take action in the women's rights movement straight away until a few years later giving the same laws as other states. However, Aboriginals, Torres Strait Islanders and non-immigrants that moved to Australia still weren't given the right to vote by the law being seen as threats or degenerates. Australia was one of the first countries in the world to allow all women to vote on a political level, giving them a foundation on basic rights. This act further went on and was called upon by other countries to contribute to the end of women's suffrage. Now in the modern day Australia is considered to be one of the most fair and equitable societies in the world allowing all Australian citizens over the age of 18 eligible to

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