The final (and successful) push for the Federal Council came at a "Convention" on 28 November 1883, which met in Sydney, and at which the six Australian colonies, New Zealand and Fiji were represented.

[1] The conference was called to debate the strategies needed to counter the activities of the German and French in New Guinea and in New Hebrides.

Sir Samuel Griffith, the Premier of Queensland, drafted a bill to constitute the Federal Council.

In July and August, 1884, the Legislatures of Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia, and Fiji petitioned the Imperial Parliament to enact the bill.

[4] Robert Frederick Sholl, a member of the Parliament of Western Australia, was also a representative at the Australasian Federal Convention of 1897.