Australian Federation Full Text Database

Welcome to the Australian Federation Full-Text Database. Digital Conversion of the core collection was funded by the NSW Centenary of Federation in 2001. Digital reproduction of the works of Robert Garran has been undertaken with the kind permission of Mrs Win Garran, Deakin, ACT.

Introduction by Helen Irving

When the Constitution's framers gave the Commonwealth powers over "postal, telegraphic, telephonic, and other like services", in an era when the radio was still a utopian dream, they could not have imagined that other like services would come to include the internet. But, being High Victorians, they were all very excited by the prospects of scientific advancement and progress...More