EDIT: The time period refers to 1901. The reason I specify European Australian is that I am unsure what if any role Aborigines played in confederation, and if historically it (at that point in time) mattered in the decision making process.
Most of the debate about federation was carried in the press of the day. Newspapers and serious journals were widely read by all sections of the population. Many of these publications have now been digitised by the National Library of Australia in their site [Trove!] (http://trove.nla.gov.au). Try 'The Bulletin', 'The Age', 'The Sydney Morning Herald'.'The Adelaide Advertiser', as search terms. You will be looking at the period 1880-1901.
You should understand that the British government approved and in many cases facilitated the federation of their colonies and protectorates, starting with India, then Canada, Australia, South Africa on until the Central African Federation (which failed) in the 1960s. Federation assisted free trade and enabled the colonies to provide their own defence.
The Aboriginal people were largely without a voice although some white and indigenous individuals did see that some paragraphs of the constitution gave the federal government some responsibilities - but they got the rough end of the pineapple. The constitution is worth reading*.
For a dissenting voice Peter Botsman "The Great Constitutional Swindle: A Citizen's View of the Australian Constitution" Pluto Press ISBN 1864030623 / 9781864030624, which is somewhere on my bookshelves - with means it is lost forever!
Edit -- loko up 'Federal Council of Australia' an earlier attempt which included Fiji and New Zealand.
just to clarify, are you referring to the 1901 federation of australia?