On a brisk January morning in 1810, the bells of Parliament House rang out across Port Arthur. Crowds filled the Old Town Square, anxiously awaiting the announcement that would shape the course of the young nation over the next five years. Arthur Portsman stood beside his step-brother William Buck, quietly confident that he would fulfil the role of Commander one final time, telling reporters from the New Southland Herald that he had faith in the people to "choose a steady, proven hand". Meanwhile, Gaspard Devenue, the powerful industrialist, had taken a more theatrical approach, reserving an entire restaurant overlooking the square for him and his entourage. His aggressive campaign had, however, raised eyebrows in its later stages, with rumors circulating of incentives promised to his many employees for their vote. Far from the hustle and bustle of Port Arthur, Agada had chosen to remain amongst his supporters in Port Gilbert, quietly hopeful that his message of equality and fairness had won over young families and the Hakawan communities just enough to take him across the line.

As Speaker of the House, Jean-Baptiste Lemoine held the responsibility for delivering the election results. He stood at the balcony of Parliament House high above the crowds with a folded paper in his hands - in it the results of the people's vote:

"with 498 votes - William Buck"

"with 822 votes - Arthur Portsman"

Arthur and William stood in disbelief - this was certainly not what they had been expecting.

"with 1099 votes - Agada Nokolufa"

Lemoine's hands began to tremble as he came to the final two results:

"with 1642 votes - Gaspard Devenue"

And with enormous pride and emotion, Lemoine finally proclaimed:

"and the new Commander of New Southland, with 2274 votes - Jean-Baptiste Lemoine"

Applause erupted from the crowd below. The people of New Southland had delivered a striking blow to the old establishment, voting instead for change, progress and unity. With 36% of the vote, Lemoine had won over a third of the electorate. But his vision extended far beyond his supporters - it was a vision for all New Southlanders.

Lemoine's new government wasted no time. Delivering on his election promises, in the first few months he had established a National Roads Board (NRB), tasked with overseeing and coordinating the rapidly growing road network; the New Southland Immigration Bureau (NSIB) to deliver his agenda of increased skilled migration; drafted the Workers' Rights Act detailing minimum working conditions, as well as the Education Act, which mandated compulsory education for children ages 6 to 12.

One of the first priorities of the NRB was to provide an overland link between Port Arthur and the booming agricultural towns of the Western Highlands, as well as the growing industrial hub at Whale Cove. The NRB put forward a proposal to extend the Great Southern Road to Port Clarendon in the North, as well as to Whale Cove in the South. The new road would be constructed in stages, first focusing on the Northern route, followed by the Southern route. The proposal was quickly endorsed by the Parliament and road works began in 1811 with Stage 1a (Shepheard's Bay to Bournemouth) and Stage 1b (Springtown to Bournemouth). These relatively short sections of road were completed within 6 months and works on Stage 2 (Bournemouth to Sutton Bay) and Stage 3 (Sutton Bay to Port Clarendon) followed thereafter, taking a further 18 months to complete. By the end of 1814, Stage 4 had been opened (Strathmore to Whale Cove), bringing a close to Lemoine’s first major infrastructure project. The opening of these roads not only improved mail and freight transport but also brought remote communities into the national economy.

Over the years, Arthur's Convict Settlement Agreement with Britain had worked well for New Southland, bringing in essential labour for the growing nation. But Lemoine's vision reached far beyond convict labour - the time had come for a targeted immigration program seeking skilled artisans and intellectuals. With the establishment of the NSIB in 1810, agents had been dispatched to France, the Low Countries, Scandinavia and the German states to recruit masons, engineers, teachers and doctors. In order to attract these individuals, subsidised travel passes and generous land settlement packages were offered. As a result, between 1810 and 1814, over 5,000 skilled migrants arrived in New Southland - nearly tripling the annual immigration rate. To accommodate this surge of immigrants, Lemoine drew inspiration from Arthur's earlier Eastern Expansion Scheme, building on its foundations and establishing a new Public-Private-Partnership - The New Southland Company. Investment from local businesses and entrepreneurs was swift and the company was able to quickly source enough capital to deliver on its ambitious plans. The flagship project of the company was the founding of a new planned city: Salisbury. Situated along the coast of King Louis Bay, Salisbury was envisioned as a commercial and industrial hub to rival Port Arthur itself.

Ground was broken in early 1811, and immigrants soon began arriving at the new Salisbury docks, ready to start a new life in New Southland. Designed with wide boulevards, central civic spaces, and zoned precincts, the city was advertised as the "Jewel of the South" and quickly gained prominence with investors both at home and abroad.

However, with this large influx of immigrants, new challenges arose. In 1812 and 1813 a series of epidemics plagued New Southland, particularly affecting the Hakawan population in Port Gilbert. The hospitals that existed in the major towns were rudimentary and ill-equipped to service the needs of the nation's growing population. In response, Lemoine's government allocated funds to expand hospitals at Port Arthur, La Perouse and Port Gilbert, and in 1813 works commenced on a quarantine station on Seal Rock in Charlotte's Bay. Over the past twenty odd years, the local seal population had been decimated by Devenue's NSWC, and the settlement had largely been abandoned in favour of the more successful Whale Cove and Little Cove stations along the South Coast. By mid-1813 the new Seal Rock Quarantine Station was opened, becoming the first point of call for all new immigrants to New Southland.

Meanwhile, investments in civics continued to be pursued by the Lemoine administration. The Education Act of 1812 established rural schoolhouses in every town with a population above 250, and by 1814, New Southland’s first public high school had opened in Port Arthur.

Lemoine also laid the foundations for a High Court in La Perouse, a Customs House in Port Arthur, and opened a new public park honouring the nation's founder - Portsman Square.

Despite all this, the nation suffered a tragic loss in April of 1814: the death of Jean-Francois La Perouse, aged 73. A statesman, explorer, and bridge between cultures, La Perouse had served New Southland faithfully as a Governor, diplomat and trusted advisor. His passing was mourned nationally, with a state funeral held at the St Joan of Arc Church in La Perouse, and a bronze statue was commissioned in his honour. Dignitaries from across New Southland, as well as from abroad attended the service. An emotional Arthur, who had formed a close bond with La Perouse ever since their fateful encounter back in 1789, addressed the service: "To many of you gathered here today, La Perouse was a great man - a true leader. Humble, caring, true to his word - he was an inspiration to us all - myself included. But to me... he was much more than that... to me he was and will always be a true friend... rest in peace my friend..."

As the year drew to a close, Lemoine had delivered much of what he had promised. Infrastructure had improved, public health and education were no longer afterthoughts, and the economy was growing strongly. But not all were satisfied - some saw the rapid increase in immigration as a threat to New Southland's identity; conservatives feared the rapid pace of change; and murmurs about rising public debt were growing louder in the press. Yet Lemoine’s popularity remained high.

And late in the Spring of 1814, Jean-Baptiste Lemoine once again stood on the steps of Parliament House to announce his candidacy for a second term.