Lexi Webster
Australia's immigration policies have changed significantly since 1945, with the country experiencing a major influx of immigrants from outside the UK and Ireland. In the immediate aftermath of World War II, the Australian government established a federal Department of Immigration to administer a large-scale immigration program, with the slogan populate or perish. This shift in policy was influenced by the Melbourne economist WD 'Bill' Forsyth, who argued that immigration and settlement should be linked to the development of urban industry. The government's efforts to perpetuate a 'White Australia' saw the start of a massive assisted British immigration scheme, as well as the acceptance of refugees from Baltic countries. From 1946 to 1960, 1.2 million people migrated to Australia, contributing to a third of the nation's population growth. By 1973, the Whitlam government had adopted a completely non-discriminatory immigration policy, effectively ending the 'White Australia' policy.
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What You'll Learn
The shift from rural to urban immigration
Australia's immigration policies have undergone significant changes since 1945, shifting from rural to urban immigration. During this period, the country experienced a massive influx of immigrants, transforming its society and population. Here is an overview of this shift:
The Post-World War II Context
In the aftermath of World War II, Australia faced the dual challenges of rebuilding its economy and addressing workforce shortages. The war had revealed Australia's vulnerability to external threats, and the government recognised the need to increase the population for defence and development. This marked the beginning of a shift in immigration policies, with a focus on urban industrial development rather than rural settlement.
The "Populate or Perish" Slogan
The "populate or perish" slogan, coined by Minister for Health and Repatriation Billy Hughes in the 1930s, gained traction after World War II. Arthur Calwell, the first Minister for Immigration, promoted mass immigration using this slogan. The government actively sought to increase the population, viewing immigration as a means to boost economic growth and strengthen national defence.
The Influence of Economist WD 'Bill' Forsyth
Melbourne economist WD 'Bill' Forsyth's 1942 book, "The Myth of Open Spaces," played a pivotal role in shaping the shift from rural to urban immigration. Forsyth argued that immigration and settlement should be linked to the development of urban industry rather than the rural sector. He also pointed out the potential labour reserves in southern and eastern Europe, influencing the government's migration policies.
The Expansion of Immigration Sources
Initially, Australia's immigration policies favoured migrants from Britain and other European countries. However, as the country experienced economic growth and industrialisation, it began to look beyond traditional sources. The government gradually accepted migrants from southern and eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and later, refugees from Indo-China. This diversification marked a significant shift from the previous rural-focused immigration patterns.
The Impact on Urban Areas
Policy Changes in the 1970s
The 1970s brought further significant changes to Australia's immigration policies. The country experienced structural economic shifts, including the movement of manufacturing jobs overseas and rising unemployment. As a result, immigration policies evolved to focus on attracting skilled workers in high-demand sectors. Additionally, the remnants of the "White Australia" policy were removed, marking a decisive break from the past and embracing a more multicultural society.
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The end of the 'White Australia' policy
The end of the White Australia policy, which was introduced in 1901, came in the 1970s. The policy was aimed at excluding immigrants deemed undesirable, and it was enforced through a dictation test. The policy was underpinned by ideas of racial inequality and the value of racial purity.
In the 1970s, a new policy of multiculturalism emerged, which encouraged immigrants to retain their distinctive cultures while becoming part of broader Australian society. This shift was influenced by international civil rights movements and marked the end of the White Australia policy.
The removal of the policy's vestiges was one of the first initiatives of Australia's first national government in 1972 or 1973. With its removal, Asians could compete equally for places in the immigration program. The entry of refugees from Indo-China was the first wave of a continuing influx from the region.
The end of the White Australia policy was part of a broader shift in immigration policies since 1945. In the postwar period, Australia experienced a major influx of immigrants from outside the United Kingdom and Ireland, with over 4.2 million immigrants arriving between 1945 and 1985. The Australian government actively pursued a large-scale immigration program to boost its population for defence and development purposes. This shift was influenced by Melbourne economist WD 'Bill' Forsyth, who argued that immigration should be linked to the development of urban industry rather than the rural sector.
The postwar immigration drive contributed to a third of Australia's population growth between 1946 and 1960. During this period, policies slowly changed to accept migrants from southern and eastern Europe, and from the late 1940s and early 1950s, carefully selected temporary migrants from the Middle East and Asia. In 1957, the Liberal government relaxed restrictions on ongoing temporary visas and made non-European migrants eligible for citizenship after 15 years of residency.
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The inclusion of non-British migrants
However, recognising the need for a larger population and labour force, Calwell also looked outside Britain for new migrants. This marked the beginning of Australia's shift towards a more inclusive immigration policy, welcoming people from diverse backgrounds.
During the post-World War II period, Australia experienced a major influx of immigrants from outside the United Kingdom and Ireland. Between 1945 and 1965, two million immigrants arrived in Australia, including the first non-British migrants allowed by the Australian government. This period also saw the arrival of Displaced Persons, who had been forced to leave their countries due to war or other reasons. By 1947, over 400,000 British people had signed up for the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, also known as the 'Ten-Pound Pom' scheme.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, policies slowly evolved to accept migrants from southern and eastern Europe, as well as carefully selected temporary migrants from the Middle East and Asia. The shift in policy was influenced by Melbourne economist WD 'Bill' Forsyth, who argued that immigration should be linked to the development of urban industry rather than just the rural sector. He also highlighted the potential labour reserves in eastern and southern Europe, which could supplement the expected postwar workforce shortages in Great Britain.
In 1957, the Liberal government relaxed restrictions on ongoing temporary visas and made non-European migrants eligible for citizenship after 15 years of residency, compared to five years for Europeans. Despite these changes, the preference for British-based immigration continued well into the 1960s.
The 1970s witnessed several pivotal shifts in immigration policy. Firstly, Australia's economy transitioned away from manufacturing, resulting in structural changes and unemployment. Consequently, immigration policy shifted its focus from recruiting semi-skilled and skilled foreign workers for manufacturing to a more complex program encompassing economic migration, family migration, refugee and humanitarian migration.
Secondly, the Whitlam government (1972–1975) abolished the remnants of the "White Australia policy," which had been in place since 1901. This policy had prevented non-Europeans from immigrating to Australia, but its removal allowed Asians to compete equally for places in the immigration program. The influx of Indo-Chinese refugees marked the beginning of a continuing wave of immigration from the region, contributing to Australia's growing multiculturalism.
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The Assisted Passage Migration Scheme
The scheme offered affordable travel to Australia, with adult tickets priced at £10 (equivalent to £545 in 2023) and children travelling for free. Migrants were also promised employment opportunities, affordable housing, and a generally more optimistic lifestyle. The scheme proved extremely popular, with two clear waves of migration. The first wave occurred immediately after World War II, and the second wave peaked in the 1960s. Between 1947 and 1981, over a million Britons emigrated to Australia, with the majority travelling under this scheme.
The qualifications for the scheme were straightforward: migrants needed to be in good health and under the age of 45. Initially, there were some skill requirements, but by the 1960s, there was less emphasis on these requirements. Migrants were required to remain in Australia for at least two years after their arrival. If they chose to return to Britain before that, they had to refund the cost of their passage and pay for their journey home, which was a substantial sum in those days.
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The shift from assimilation to multiculturalism
However, over time, the Australian government began to shift away from this assimilation policy. The Melbourne economist WD 'Bill' Forsyth influenced this change. Forsyth argued that immigration should be linked to the development of urban industry rather than just rural settlement. He suggested that workforce shortages in Great Britain could be an issue and proposed looking to southern and eastern Europe for migrants. This shift in policy set a target of a 1% annual increase in population through immigration.
In the 1950s, the Liberal government relaxed restrictions on non-European migrants, making them eligible for citizenship after 15 years of residency. The post-war period saw an influx of immigrants from outside the United Kingdom and Ireland, with over 40% of migrants between 1945 and 1985 coming from countries other than Britain and Ireland. This shift towards a more diverse immigration pattern continued in the 1970s, with the entry of refugees from Indo-China and the removal of the remaining elements of the "White Australia" policy.
The 1970s marked a significant shift towards multiculturalism in Australia's immigration policy. The government introduced policies embracing a culturally diverse population, with increased Indo-Chinese refugee intakes and multicultural programs. This shift aimed to encourage immigrants to retain their distinctive cultures while becoming part of broader Australian society. Mechanisms such as multicultural television and radio networks were funded by the federal government to promote cultural maintenance.
By embracing multiculturalism, Australia moved away from the assimilation policies of the post-war era and towards a more inclusive and diverse society. This transformation was influenced by international civil rights movements and changing community and governmental attitudes, resulting in a more humanitarian approach to immigration.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian government believed that there was an urgent need to "populate or perish" after the Second World War. The country was vulnerable to invasion from Japan and needed to boost its population to improve its defence. Economically, Australia required skilled workers to fulfil the industrialisation of the nation.
The 1970s saw the removal of the "White Australia" policy, which prevented non-Europeans from immigrating to Australia. This was replaced by a policy of multiculturalism, which encouraged immigrants to retain their distinctive cultures while becoming part of broader Australian society. The government also introduced a points system to assess applicants for economic migration.
In the 1940s, Australia's immigration policies shifted from focusing solely on British migrants to accepting migrants from other countries, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, southern and eastern Europe, and, from the late 1940s and early 1950s, carefully selected temporary migrants from the Middle East and Asia.
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