 He had expressed regret concerning the fate of the Australian Aborigines in a "Telegraph" article in 1888 and also opposed Sir Henry Parkes's poll tax on the Chinese, and now opposed the continuing restrictive measures passed in 1896 and 1898.He served as president of the Australian Free Trade and Liberal Association's New South Wales branch in 1900 and was deputy president of the federal election campaign committee, standing himself for the Senate in New South Wales.At the first federal election in March 1901, Pulsford was elected as a senator for New South Wales in the sixth and final position, narrowly defeating fellow Free Trader John Gray.