The gradual transfer of legislative power from the imperial government to the colonies, States and the Commonwealth

Australian Developments in Legislative Independence: 1787 to the 1820s After European settlement in 1788, Australia was politically organized as a number of separate British colonies, eventually six in all. New South Wales was governed largely as a military autocracy with few formal constraints upon the political power of the Governor. There was no provision for trial by a jury of one's peers, but only trial by military courts. The early courts comprised a judge-advocate appointed by the …

…nationhood, but failed to apply to the State Governments. Because of this, prior to the passage of the Australia Act, these states essentially remained colonies under the British Crown. For example, the British Parliament retained the right to advise the monarch on her choice of state governors. Therefore, with the Australian Acts 1986 established, Australia was officially free and the transfer of legislative power from the imperial government to the colonies, states and commonwealth was complete.