Future premier Tom Price among labour movement Anti-Billites as South Australians decide on federation
The Billites and Anti-Billites put their cases on federations to South Australians.= in 1989. The Critic –The Federal Weekly cartoon called "The Flight of the Anti Billites" shows them fleeing from federaion forces (at top) with Charles Cameron Kingston the central figure.
Image courtesy State Library of South Australia
The Anti-Billites – the league formed belately to oppose the commonwealth bill for Australian federation and the draft Australian constitution. The Anti- Commonwealth Bill League had the support of some leading politicians such as Tom Price, later the first Labor premier of South Australia.
The labour movement was a force within the Anti-Billites. There was only one labour leader at the convention leading up to federation referendum and many advocated a No vote on the basis that the proposed constitution wasn’t democratic enough. Anti-billites were concerned about equal representation of the colonies and higher taxes. There was considerable concern in New South Wales that the colony would lose power and advantages.
A strong argument in favour of federation was the abolition of trade barriers between the colonies. Billites also argued that a federation of the colonies would provide a united approach to defence and immigration.
The other group force within the federation campaign was the push for women's right to vote beyond South Australia. Women's suffragists felt that federation would improve women's chances of winning the vote and supported the Yes campaign.
The Commonwealth argued that, "without federation, South Australia never can become great or populous. She is now stationary and depressed”.
The Billites in South Australia predicted that "our share of the expense of federation cannot exceed £33,000; but against that we shall have extra Railway revenue (£10,000 per annum)". There would savings on not having the state’s own agent general’s office in London "plus the reduction of cost of Local Parliament, Ministers, Government House, and others”.
But the big direct gain was seen as at least £40,000 per annum by federalising the South Australian debt: "Federation will, therefore, cost South Australia nothing".