Senate Career
Following Federation, Gould contested the first federal election in March 1901, standing for the Senate as a Free Trader. He was elected in the third of six positions, entitling him to a six-year term. His first speech was largely devoted to his impassioned support for free trade, and in his early years as a senator he also supported decentralisation and opposed proposals to establish a federal capital. A supporter of the White Australia policy, he expressed concern over Kanaka labour in Queensland, although his assumption that the arrangement was temporary enabled his pragmatism on this issue. Gould was also involved in defence matters, supporting the introduction of conscription and maintaining loyalty to the Empire, where "there are men much more experienced in the principles of government than we are". At the 1906 election, Gould was easily re-elected in the first position, winning the largest vote for any senator to that time.
From 1901 Gould maintained an interest in the procedure of the Senate, and was a member of the standing orders committee from its appointment in 1901 until 1907. He had supported the opening of Senate proceedings with prayer and had made frequent reference to the standing orders of the British House of Commons. He contested the Presidency of the Senate in 1904, but was defeated by the incumbent, Sir Richard Baker.
On Baker's retirement, Gould was unanimously elected President on 20 February 1907. He endeavoured to keep the Senate representative of the states' interests and free from party politics, and his rulings focused on unparliamentary language and relevance. Gould, appointed Knight Bachelor in 1908, differed from his predecessor in his adherence to British influence. With the election of the Fisher Labor Government in 1910, Gould was defeated by Harry Turley for the presidency.
Despite his support for conscription, Gould was not endorsed by the new Nationalist Party to contest the 1917 election. Deeply offended, Gould nevertheless elected to retire rather than run as an independent and split the Nationalist vote.
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