About this Event
Join the Hon. Bob Carr, former NSW Premier and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, for an engaging conversation exploring the ideas, personalities and compromises that brought six separate colonies together to form the Commonwealth of Australia.
More than 125 years after Federation, many of the questions debated by the Federation generation remain relevant today. How should power be shared between state and federal governments? What unites Australians? And how can democratic institutions respond to a changing world?
Drawing on his passion for Australian history and decades of political experience, Bob Carr will unpack the movement for Federation, the creation of the Australian Constitution, and the leaders who helped shape the nation.
This special Parliament Unpacked event will explore why the colonies chose Federation, the challenges of nation-building, and how the debates of the 1890s continue to influence Australia's political system today.
Whether you're a history enthusiast, educator or curious citizen, Making Australia offers a fresh perspective on one of the most significant moments in Australia's history and what it can teach us about leadership, compromise and democracy in the twenty-first century.
When: Wednesday 23 September 2026, 6:00pm – 7:15pm
Where: Theatrette, NSW Parliament.
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Continue your experience at Strangers' Restaurant. Bookings essential.
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Event venue & nearby stays
NSW Parliament House, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney, Australia
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