The lead-up to Federation in 1901 centred around desire for a ‘white’ national identity. British political values, including the rights of the individual, personal liberty and, private property, a broadly free market economy, state-owned infrastructure, democratic institutions and constitutional government, informed the creation of the Australian nation. These ideas were thought to be incompatible with a society containing different races with different standards of living.  

The 1901 Constitution gave the federal parliament powers to make laws regarding ‘people of any race’, except Aboriginal people, and issues such as ‘immigration and emigration’, ‘naturalisation and aliens’ and the ‘influx of criminals’, all of which underpinned the laws that would make up the White Australia policy.