Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 4
Foreword
Responsible government shifted responsibility from the
Imperial Parliament and its colonial representatives to local
decision making. 22 May 2006 will commemorate the occasion
of the first sitting of the first Parliament of the Colony of New
South Wales under responsible government. It will mark one
hundred and fifty years of the executive government of New
South Wales being accountable, first to the Parliament but
ultimately to the people of New South Wales.
With responsible government, the semi-representational
Legislative Council with its one-third nominated and two-thirds
elected membership was replaced with a bicameral Legislature
— the Parliament — with two Houses, the Legislative Council
and the Legislative Assembly. The Council reverted to being a
chamber with nominated members while the Assembly became
the chamber of elected members.
The road to responsible government had been a gradual one,
moving from the autocratic rule of the Governor to a limited
form of representative government, and finally to responsible
government. The growth of the non-convict population, the
stoppage of the transportation system, increased demand for
land, and the discovery of gold with the wealth it created all
encouraged a clamour for an elected legislature with local
control of government.
This guide helps to commemorate the establishment of
responsible government and highlights some of the key events
and movements that have played their part in making the
State and its Parliament what they are today. More
importantly, however, by publishing this guide we aim to make
the New South Wales Government's records of the movement
to, and development of, responsible government in the State
more accessible to all those interested in this area of historical
research.
State Records would like to acknowledge the financial support
the Sesqui-Centenary of Responsible Government 1856-2006
Committee and its Chair Mr Rodney Cavalier, which has
allowed this guide to be published.
Christine Shergold, Manager, Special Projects, deserves special
mention for her detailed work in researching and compiling the
guide.
David Roberts
Director
State Records Authority of New South Wales
Dr Shirley Fitzgerald
Chairperson of the Board
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