Sir Edmund "Toby" Barton, (18 January 18497 January 1920) was an Australian politician and judge who was the first prime minister of Australia, from 1901 to 1903, holding office as the leader of the Protectionist Party. He resigned to become a founding member of the High Court of Australia, on which he served until his death.
Sir Edmund "Toby" Barton, (18 January 18497 January 1920) was an Australian politician and judge who was the first prime minister of Australia, from 1901 to 1903, holding office as the leader of the Protectionist Party. He resigned to become a founding member of the High Court of Australia, on which he served until his death.
Barton was an early supporter of the federation of the Australian colonies, the goal of which he summarised as "a nation for a continent, and a continent for a nation". After the retirement of Henry Parkes he came to be seen as the leader of the federation movement in New South Wales. He was a delegate to the constitutional conventions, playing a key role in the drafting of a national constitution, and was one of the lead campaigners for federation in the subsequent referendums. In late 1900, despite the initial "Hopetoun Blunder", Barton was commissioned to form a caretaker government as Australia's first prime minister. His term began on 1 January 1901, the date on which federation occurred.
Barton left politics in 1903 to become one of the three founding members of the High Court, which his government had created. He was succeeded as prime minister by Alfred Deakin. On the court, Barton was able to shape the judicial interpretation of the constitution he had helped write.
[Melbourne], Victoria : Printed and published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Robt. S. Brain, Government Printer for the State of Victoria, 1903
[Melbourne], Victoria : Printed and published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Robt. S. Brain, Government Printer for the State of Victoria, 1901
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