The Hopetoun Blunder: The Appointment of the First Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia December 1900 by J A La Nauze

Book Description

Secondhand. Very good condition. Minor wear to book corners and edges. Interior and binding are still excellent.

The formation of the first government of the Commonwealth of Australia involved a series of dramatic moves in the last days of 1900. These followed a decision of the first Governor General, Lord Hopetoun, which came to be known as the 'Hopetoun blunder.'

Federation was scheduled to occur on 1 January 1901, but since the general election for the first Parliament of Australia was not to be held until March, it was not possible to follow the conventions of the Westminster system and appoint the leader of the majority in the House of Representatives as Prime Minister. So Lord Hopetoun arrived in Australia in December 1900 to appoint a Prime Minister to lead the interim government, but he had little knowledge of the Australian political scene and had no formal instructions.