In 1857 a Select Committee of the Parliament of Victoria ‘upon the Federal Union of the Australian Colonies’ reported that a ‘Federal Union’ would be in the interests of all the colonies and called for an Australia-wide conference to discuss Federation with delegates from all the self-governing colonies.

However, the conference did not eventuate due to pre-occupation of the colonies with newly acquired self-government as well as concerns in some colonies about possible domination of a Federal Union by New South Wales and Victoria.

Following is an excerpt from the report of the select committee of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, 8 September 1857:

‘On the ultimate necessity of a federal union, there is but one opinion … the interest and honour of these growing states would be promoted by the establishment of a system of mutual action and co-operation among them. Their interest suffers, and must continue to suffer, while competing tariffs, naturalization laws, and land systems, rival schemes of immigration and of ocean postage, a clumsy and an inefficient method of communicating with each other and with the home Government on public business, and a distant and expensive system of judicial appeal exist…’

‘By becoming confederates so early in their career, the Australian Colonies would, we believe, immensely economize their strength and resources. They would substitute a common national interest for local and conflicting interests, and waste no more time in barren rivalry… The time for accomplishing such a federation is naturally a point upon which there are a variety of opinions… Most of us conceive that the time for union is come.’