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Early
History
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A portrait of
W.C. Wentworth in the Legislative Assembly.
When New South Wales became a British colony on 26th January 1788, the
British Government made the Governor responsible for keeping law and
order. This is our timeline of the early history of the development
Parliament in New South Wales. New South Wales commenced self
government in 1856.
Timeline of N.S.W. Government
Pre 1788 : Aboriginal occupation and government (about 50 000 years).
1788 : First European settlement in Sydney, Governor Arthur Phillip.
1808 : Officers of the NSW Corps arrest Governor Bligh and control
colony known as the Rum Rebellion.
1810 : Governor Lachlan Macquarie arrives. Authority of Governor
restored.
1823 : NSW Act passed establishing Legislative Council of 5 appointed
members.
1824 : First meeting of Legislative Council.
1829 : Legislative Council expanded from 10 - 15 members.
1843 : Legislative Council increased to 36 as a result of the 1842,
NSW constitution.
1852 : Legislative Council expanded to 54 members.
1855 : Passage of the Constitution Act NSW granted Responsible
Government to people living in N.S.W.
1856 : Self-governing Parliament meets - Legislative
Assembly (elected) & Legislative Council (appointed).
1858 : Electoral Reform - secret ballot introduced, most non-Aboriginal
adult males receive the vote.
1890s : Political movement towards Federation of Australian colonies
into one nation.
1893 : Electoral Reform - one vote per person (males only).
1901 : Federation - Commonwealth of Australia established.
1902 : Women were given the right to vote in N.S.W.
1918 : Women able to stand for election to Legislative Council.
1962 : Voting restrictions on Aboriginal people removed but voting not
compulsory.
1981 : Parliamentary term increased from 3 to 4 years.
1986 : Australia Acts - British Parliament can no longer pass or change
Australian laws.
1999 : Size of Legislative Assembly reduced to 93.