Damon Mcknight
Between 1945 and 1985, Australia witnessed a large influx of immigrants, with around 4.2 million people entering the country, 40% of whom were from Britain and Ireland. This migration was driven by Australia's post-WWII large-scale immigration program, aimed at boosting the country's population for defence and development purposes. The Australian government promoted the country as a welcoming place with great opportunities, attracting Europeans displaced by the war, especially those from Britain, who were seen as culturally close. Financial assistance, such as the Ten Pound Pom scheme, further encouraged migration, with over a million Britons emigrating to Australia between 1947 and 1981. This migration wave significantly contributed to Australia's population growth and transformed its society.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time period | 1945-1973 |
| Number of immigrants | 4.2 million between 1945 and 1985; 2 million between 1945 and 1965; 1.2 million between 1946 and 1960 |
| Countries of origin | Britain and Ireland (40%), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Southern and Central Europe, the Middle East, Asia |
| Reasons for immigration | Escape war-ravaged Europe, economic opportunities, defence of Australia, development and growth of Australia |
| Australian Government policies | Assisted Passage Migration Scheme (Ten-Pound Pom scheme), 'Populate or Perish' slogan, Nationality and Citizenship Act (1948), relaxation of restrictions for non-European migrants (1957) |
| International agreements | With the United Kingdom, Malta, the Netherlands, Italy, West Germany, Turkey, Yugoslavia, and the International Refugee Organization (IRO) |
| Other characteristics | Many immigrants were ex-servicemen, unskilled workers, and displaced persons; some were sponsored by the IRO |
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What You'll Learn
The 'Populate or Perish' initiative
The Australian Government's "populate or perish" initiative was a large-scale immigration program that aimed to increase the country's population by 1% annually through mass immigration. This policy emerged in response to the urgent need to strengthen the nation's defence and development after the Second World War. The fear of invasion by the Japanese Imperial Army during the war had highlighted Australia's vulnerability, and it was believed that a larger population was necessary for defence and economic growth.
Arthur Calwell, the first Minister for Immigration, promoted the "populate or perish" slogan, which had been coined by Billy Hughes, the Minister for Health and Repatriation, in the 1930s. The immigration program targeted migrants from Britain, as they were seen as culturally close to Australians and more easily integrated into the Australian way of life. The Ten-Pound Pom scheme, which offered affordable travel to Australia, attracted over 400,000 British people by 1947. Between 1947 and 1981, over a million Britons emigrated to Australia under this scheme.
However, the "populate or perish" initiative also led to a shift in Australia's limiting migration practices, known as the "White Australia" policy. While the initial focus was on British migrants, the government slowly began accepting migrants from beyond the British Isles, including southern and eastern Europe, and later, temporary migrants from the Middle East and Asia. This shift was influenced by Melbourne economist WD 'Bill' Forsyth, who argued that immigration and settlement should be linked to the development of urban areas rather than just the rural sector, as had been the case after World War I.
The first shipload of migrants arrived in Australia in 1947 from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. These young, unmarried migrants, known as the "beautiful Balts," were well-received by the Australian press due to their fair skin and alignment with the "White Australia" ideal. Between 1945 and 1965, two million immigrants arrived in Australia, transforming Australian society. This massive influx included the first non-British migrants allowed by the Australian Government, marking a significant shift in the country's demographic makeup.
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The White Australia Policy
The end of World War II saw the beginning of a large-scale immigration program in Australia, which was motivated by the need to strengthen the economy, infrastructure, and defence of the nation. This initiative, known as the "'populate or perish' policy, aimed to increase Australia's population by 1% annually through immigration.
Arthur Calwell, the first Minister for Immigration, pledged in 1946: "Australia hopes that for every foreign migrant there will be ten people from the United Kingdom." The Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, also known as the "'Ten-Pound Pom' scheme", was introduced in 1945 to encourage migration from Britain, and by 1947, over 400,000 British people had signed up. This scheme allowed for affordable travel, with adult tickets costing £10, and children travelling for free by the 1960s.
While the initial focus was on British migrants, Australia also began accepting migrants from other European countries, particularly those displaced by the war. Between 1947 and 1953, the Australian Government assisted over 170,000 displaced persons to migrate to Australia. These migrants came from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (known as the "beautiful Balts"), and later from southern and eastern Europe. The arrival of these migrants with fair skin aligned with the idea of a "white Australia".
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Financial assistance and affordable travel
In the aftermath of World War II, Australia was concerned about the threat of invasion from neighbouring Asian countries and Japan. The government believed that boosting the country's population would strengthen its defence. This led to the establishment of the federal Department of Immigration in 1945 to administer a large-scale immigration program.
Financial assistance was a crucial aspect of Australia's post-war immigration program. The Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, also known as the 'Ten Pound Pom' scheme, was introduced in 1945 to encourage Britons to migrate. Under this scheme, adults paid as little as £10 for a ticket, while children travelled for free by the 1960s. Between 1947 and 1981, over a million Britons emigrated to Australia under this scheme, which was funded by both the British and Australian governments. The British component of the migrant intake remained the largest until 1953.
The Australian government also entered into formal migration agreements with several countries, including the United Kingdom, Malta, the Netherlands, Italy, West Germany, Turkey, and Yugoslavia. These agreements often involved the grant of assisted passage. Additionally, there were informal migration agreements with other countries, including Austria, Greece, Spain, and Belgium.
The Australian economy, booming in contrast to war-ravaged Europe, also attracted migrants. Newly arrived migrants found employment in the thriving manufacturing industry and government-assisted programmes such as the Snowy Mountains Scheme, a massive hydroelectricity and irrigation project. This project, which employed 100,000 people from over 30 countries, is often seen as the birth of multicultural Australia.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Australia began accepting temporary migrants from the Middle East and Asia, and in 1957, the Liberal government relaxed restrictions, making non-European migrants eligible for citizenship after 15 years of residency.
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Australia's booming manufacturing industry
Australia's manufacturing industry was booming after World War II, contributing to more than a quarter of the country's GDP. The industry was a significant source of employment, with factory employment numbers rising through the 1950s and into the 1960s.
The Australian government actively supported the expansion of secondary industries in the post-war period. The Division of Industrial Development was tasked with initiatives to encourage the growth of manufacturing. This included rural reconstruction, the conversion of munitions and armament factories for other industrial uses, workforce training, and the development of the electricity supply, fuel production, and industrial technology.
The motor vehicle industry, dominated by Japanese and American corporations, was a key component of the manufacturing sector. Motor vehicle ownership rates were high, and the industry provided jobs for many, including immigrants. Other major manufacturing industries included food and beverage production, printing and publishing, oil refining, and the manufacture of textiles, domestic appliances, and wood and paper products.
The Snowy Mountains Scheme, a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex, was another significant government-assisted programme that provided employment opportunities in the manufacturing and construction industries. This massive engineering project, the largest in Australia's history, was constructed between 1949 and 1974 and included the building of sixteen major dams and seven power stations.
However, manufacturing in Australia began to decline from the 1960s onwards. This was due to multinational corporations moving production to Asian countries with lower labour costs, the reduction of tariffs and controls on imports, and increasing domestic labour costs. Despite this slump, the industry still employs about one-eighth of the labour force and contributes significantly to Australia's GDP.
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Prejudice faced by non-British migrants
Following World War II, Australia experienced a wave of predominantly European immigration, with around 4.2 million immigrants arriving between 1945 and 1985. This influx of people included the first non-British migrants allowed by the Australian government, marking a significant shift in the country's migration policies. While the decision to open up Australia to non-British migrants was influenced by the need to increase the country's population for defence and development purposes, non-British migrants, particularly those from non-European backgrounds, faced various forms of prejudice and discrimination upon their arrival in Australia.
One of the main forms of prejudice faced by non-British migrants was the pervasive influence of the ''White Australia'' policy, which favoured migrants from European backgrounds and made it difficult for people from mixed-race backgrounds to immigrate. This policy was influenced by underlying public attitudes and shaped the early waves of post-war immigration, with migrants from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and other parts of southern and eastern Europe becoming known as the 'beautiful Balts' and receiving favourable media coverage due to their fair skin.
Non-British migrants, particularly those from southern and eastern European countries, faced various forms of discrimination and were often seen as a source of cheap labour. A 1958 government leaflet assured voters that unskilled non-British migrants were needed for "labour on rugged projects ... work which is not generally acceptable to Australians or British workers." This sentiment reflects a prevalent attitude that viewed non-British migrants as a source of inexpensive labour rather than as valued members of society.
In addition to facing discrimination in the labour market, non-British migrants also encountered challenges in obtaining Australian citizenship. While the Liberal government made efforts in 1957 to ease restrictions for non-European migrants, they still faced a longer path to citizenship compared to their European counterparts, requiring 15 years of residency compared to five years for Europeans. This disparity highlights the unequal treatment faced by non-British migrants, even as they contributed significantly to Australia's postwar economic growth and development.
The prejudice faced by non-British migrants also extended to government policies and public sentiment. When migrants from Southern Europe began to outnumber British immigrants in the 1950s, the Australian government responded by placing restrictions on Southern Europeans sponsoring newcomers and launching the "Bring out a Briton" campaign. This reaction reveals a preference for British immigrants and a desire to maintain a predominantly British population in Australia. Public attitudes towards non-British migrants were also influenced by fears of racial dynamics in the region, as reflected in statements made by Arthur Calwell, Australia's first Minister for Immigration, who warned in 1947 that mass immigration from non-British Europe needed to be curbed to prevent the "yellow races" from "being down on us."
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Frequently asked questions
Australia was threatened by the advance of the Japanese Imperial Army during WWII. The Chifley government commissioned a report that found the country was in urgent need of a larger population for the purposes of defence and development. The government promoted Australia as a welcoming place of great opportunities, which attracted many Europeans displaced by the war.
The Australian government established the federal Department of Immigration in 1945 to administer a large-scale immigration program. The first Minister for Immigration, Arthur Calwell, promoted mass immigration with the slogan "'populate or perish'". The government also introduced the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme (also known as the 'Ten-Pound Pom' scheme) to attract migrant families from Britain.
WWII led to a massive influx of people to Australia, transforming Australian society. Between 1945 and 1965, two million immigrants arrived, with another source stating the number as 4.2 million between 1945 and 1985. This included the first non-British migrants allowed by the Australian government.
Many migrants to Australia after WWII faced prejudice, especially those who did not speak English well. Skilled migrants found it hard to find work that suited their qualifications and had to accept whatever work was available.
