Alexander Forrest was a delegate from Western Australia at the Constitutional Convention, Sydney 1891. At the Australian Federation Conference in 1890 the colonies decided on a process for the drafting of a federal constitution. Each Australian colony agreed to send seven delegates, appointed by parliament, to a national convention at which a draft constitution would be prepared. Two delegates from New Zealand would also attend. The National Australasian Convention opened in Sydney on 2 March 1891, and by 9 April the draft Constitution was complete.