Hertzog ( Union of South Africa ) , Cosgrave ( Irish Free State ) . Seated : Baldwin ( UK ) , King George V , King ( Canada ) . Australia achieved independent Sovereign Nation status after World War I , under the Statute of Westminster . This formalised the Balfour Declaration of 1926 , a report resulting from the 1926 Imperial Conference of British Empire leaders in London , which defined Dominions of the British empire in the following way : " They are autonomous Communities within the British Empire , equal in status , in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs , though united by a common allegiance to the Crown , and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations . " However , Australia did not ratify the Statute of Westminster until 1942 . According to historian Frank Crowley , this was because Australians had little interest in redefining their relationship with Britain until the crisis of World War II
1926 Imperial Conference
1926 Imperial Conference
History of Australia