The statute formalised the Balfour Declaration of 1926 , a report resulting from the 1926 Imperial Conference of British Empire leaders in London , which had defined Dominions of the British empire in the following way Australia did not ratify the Statute of Westminster 1931 until over a decade later , with the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 . However , the ratification was backdated to 1939 to confirm the validity of legislation passed by the Australian Parliament during World War II . 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 (1901–45)