What if New South Wales had not paid parliamentarians until after Federation?

Abstract

In mid-1891 the newly formed Labor Electoral League won thirty-five seats in the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales. While working-class political parties were also soon formed in Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, Labor in New South Wales was the most electorally successful, and it formed the prototype for 'labour parties' across the country. Labor was notably unsuccessful in the second most populous of the Australian colonies, Victoria, where the forces of liberalism remained in charge. But the success of New South Wales Labor gave the party a strong foundation on which to build nationally.