Australian Independence.
Australia became a nation on 1 January 1901, when the British Parliament passed legislation enabling the six Australian colonies to collectively govern in their own right as the Commonwealth of Australia, but with Britain controlling foreign policy.
Independence was offered in 1931 and taken up in late 1942. The delay is often considered to be due to being linked to Britain, as being in Australia’s best defence interest.
In 1942, Australia accepted independence which put the country on equal footing with other Commonwealth countries through the Statute of Westminster, which essentially gave its dominions full legal freedom and equal standing with England and one another.
The 1948 Australian Citizenship Act introduced Australian citizenship. Prior to that, those born in Australia had British subject status.
In 1986, the Australia Act made Australia a completely independent nation, removing it from the shadow of British politics.
john.curtin.edu.au/…/independence.html
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