Image title:
Sir Joseph Palmer Abbott
Source:
National Library of Australia
Image ID:
nla.pic-an21223661
Joseph Abbott (1842–1901)
Speaker of the New South Wales parliament, and a federalist
Abbott was a lawyer, born in the country town of Muswellbrook. He knew rural areas well, and in parliament he was the member for Wentworth, situated on the Darling River. Abbott was a firm supporter of Federation. It was in the country areas, much more than in Sydney, where support for Federation was strongest.
In parliament Abbott worked hard at getting good laws passed. He did not like nasty personal battles and mud-slinging. In 1890 he was made Speaker of the Assembly, and tried to improve the behaviour of the members.
He was a member of the federal conventions of 1891 and 1897–98. In 1891 he was made chairman of committees, the man in charge when the convention was examining the constitution in detail, clause by clause.
At the 1897–98 Federal Convention, he worked hard to persuade delegates from the small colonies that they had to agree to limit the Senate's powers over the Budget if the large colonies were to agree to Federation. He opposed the convention's moves to limit appeals from Australian courts to the Privy Council in London.
unless otherwise indicated.