1901:
Commonwealth of Australia created “Federation”, Barton 1st PM
Immigration Restriction Act - must pass a dictation test ⇒ the “White Australia Policy” lasted until 1940.
Pacific Island Labourers Act - banned importation of islanders (Kanakas) that had been occurring since 1863, mainly for Qld sugar plantations as cheap, indentured labour. Repatriation of those in Aust. < 20yrs.
1901: Aboriginal peoples in NW WA still being chained for enslaved labour such as by Sir John Forrest (Twiggy's great uncle).
1905: Dr Walter Roth’s notorious Royal Commission into Aboriginal Affairs that shed light (and generated national and international headlines) on the appalling conditions for Aboriginal people in the Kimberley following which much reform was promised
1907: a telegram from Broome WA resident Chas Morgan on 20 July 1907 addressed to the man who was responsible for the protection of Aboriginal people: Chief Protector of Aborigines Henry ‘Harry’ Prinsep, requesting that he be sent a ‘cask arsenic exterminate aborigines’ indicates the persistent white attitudes and comes from a long history of poisoning Aboriginal peoples such as with Christmas puddings laced with strychnine, etc.
1907:
1910: Kimberley pastoral station Moola Bulla was established on over 400 000 acres of traditional Kitja country near Halls Creek. It was a practical government response to the calamitous effect the introduced cattle and associated pastoral industry had on the thousands of traditional owners who through the earlier ‘killing times’ had been dispossessed, murdered or starved out of their own country. This was sold to private buyers in 1955 who evicted all the remaining Aboriginal peoples.
1910: escapologist, Harry Houdini flies 1st plane in Australia at Diggers Rest, north of Melbourne
1912: mixed bathing on Melbourne beaches branded “the viper of promiscuous hoodlums” by a Presbyterian minister.
1914:
1st Coles store opened (Collingwood), with nothing costing more than a shilling;
“RACV” launches its first insurance scheme & a touring department managed by George Broadbent (of Broadbent maps fame) & in 1915 began a register of hotels for its members to visit whilst savouring the country air. In 1916 the Automobile Club of Victoria became the RACV after its contributions to ferrying soldiers from ships to hospitals.
1915:
Aust. troops land at Gallipoli;
cars in Australia soared to 50,000 but only 1/10th the number of horse-drawn vehicles, the new cars had to contend with dusty roads with horse dung & broken glass, were advised to limit speeds to 20mph & the increasing noise pollution from weekend drivers resulted in conflicts as drivers were requested to drive slowly past churches & the need for repair shops & service stations to be open on the Sabbath caused concerns.
1923: Vegemite 1st created & introduced in Aust;