. ▁B orden ▁and ▁Hugh es ▁proved ▁a ▁form id able ▁team . ▁They ▁readily ▁convinced ▁the ▁w ily ▁British ▁prime ▁minister , ▁David ▁Lloyd ▁George , ▁of ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁establish ▁formal ▁mechan isms ▁to ▁facil itate ▁consult ation ▁between ▁Britain ▁and ▁the ▁domin ions . ▁An ▁Imperial ▁War ▁Conference ▁invited ▁domin ion ▁prime ▁minister s ▁to ▁consider ▁the ▁general ▁problem ▁of ▁imperial ▁relations , ▁while ▁an ▁Imperial ▁War ▁Cab inet ▁gave ▁them ▁a ▁direct ▁voice ▁in ▁the ▁conduct ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁The ▁initial ▁struggle ▁for ▁greater ▁domin ion ▁status ▁was ▁successfully ▁concluded ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁when ▁the ▁Imperial ▁War ▁Conference ▁recognized ▁" the ▁Domin ions ▁as ▁autonom ous ▁nations ▁of ▁an ▁Imperial ▁Commonwealth ... ▁[ with ▁a ▁right ▁to ] ▁an ▁ade qu ate ▁voice ▁in ▁foreign ▁policy ▁and ▁foreign ▁relations ." ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁this ▁theoretical ▁expression ▁of ▁domin ion ▁so vere ig nt y ▁assumed ▁practical ▁significance ▁when ▁B orden ▁and ▁Hugh es ▁joined ▁forces ▁again ▁to ▁secure ▁separate ▁domin ion ▁representation ▁at ▁the ▁Paris ▁Peace ▁Conference . ▁ ▁The ▁success ▁enjoyed ▁by ▁Hugh es ▁and ▁B orden ▁in ▁demonstr ating ▁that ▁British ▁and ▁domin ion ▁interests ▁could ▁be ▁accommod ated ▁within ▁a ▁single ▁imperial ▁foreign ▁policy , ▁provided ▁a ▁temporary ▁basis ▁for ▁continued ▁Australian - Can ad ian ▁co operation . ▁From ▁the ▁start , ▁however , ▁the ▁post war ▁relationship ▁was ▁t ense . ▁Hugh es ▁approached ▁the ▁Paris ▁peace ▁tal ks ▁determined ▁to ▁enh ance ▁Australian ▁security ▁by ▁an nex