Australian Constitutions Act 1850

Australian Constitutions Act 1850

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act for the better Government of Her Majesty's Australian Colonies.
Citation	13 & 14 Vict. c. 59[1]
Territorial extent	Australia (continent)
Dates
Royal assent	5 August 1850
Commencement	1 July 1851
Other legislation
Repealed by	New South Wales Constitution Act 1855 Victoria Constitution Act 1855 Western Australia Constitution Act 1890 Australia Act 1986
Status: Repealed

The Australian Constitutions Act 1850^[a] (13 & 14 Vict. c. 59), or the Australian Colonies Government Act 1850, was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which was enacted to formally establish the Colony of Victoria by separating the District of Port Phillip from the Colony of New South Wales. The act provided an initial constitution for Victoria, which included a bicameral parliament and a Lieutenant-Governor as its vice-regal representative. It also altered the constitution of the Colony of New South Wales, and provided for similar constitutions to be set up in Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) and South Australia.^[2]

It was given royal assent on 5 August 1850 and came into effect on 1 July 1851.^[3] The act received criticism in Australia for its perceived inadequacies, spearheaded in the New South Wales Legislative Council by the statesman William Wentworth.

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