Migration Experiences

Question 1

Early migration

Answer 1

Australia’s first migrations were by First Nations peoples thousands of years ago.
European migration began with the First Fleet in 1788, establishing Australia as a British colony.

Question 2

Post WW2 migration

Answer 2

After WWII, Australia had a small population (~7 million), mostly Anglo-Celtic, and a labour shortage.
The government feared invasion and wanted to boost the population—so it created the Department of Immigration in 1945.

Question 3

Displaced Persons and Refugees

Answer 3

Australia prioritised British migrants, with the “10-pound Pom” scheme offering cheap fares.
Between 1947–1952, 170,000 displaced persons arrived, especially from Baltic countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) due to their racial similarity and ease of assimilation.
Migrants also came from Poland, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia, escaping Soviet occupation and communism.

Question 4

Economic Migration

Answer 4

From 1951, Australia welcomed economic migrants from Greece, Italy, Malta, Croatia, and Turkey.
These migrants were placed in reception camps like Bonegilla, where they were trained and encouraged to become “New Australians.”

2 million immigrants arrived between 1945 and 1965.
Migration drove Australia’s economic boom in the 1950s and 60s. They had to stay for at least 2 years and worked in labor jobs assigned by government

Question 5

Later Migration

Answer 5

Vietnam War (Cold War era):
Australia accepted Vietnamese refugees
Some arrived by boat, leading to the negative label “boat people.”
By 1984, Australia had accepted 2,000 boat arrivals and 88,000 refugees from UN camps.

Middle East Conflicts (2000s):
Wars in Syria and Afghanistan caused a rise in refugees.
From 2000 onwards, Australia has accepted around 12,000–13,000 refugees per year through the UNHCR program.

Question 6

White Australia Policy

Answer 6

1901–1975
• The Immigration Restriction Act (1901) created the White Australia policy.
• Aimed to keep Australia predominantly white and protect jobs and lifestyle from non-European immigrants.
• The dictation test (1901–1958) was used to exclude ‘undesirable’ migrants by forcing them to write in a language they didn’t know.
• Although race wasn’t explicitly mentioned, the law gave officials discretion to deny entry based on ethnicity or appearance.
• Chinese residents already in Australia could get exemption certificates, mainly if they owned property.

Question 7

Post-WWII Migration Policy Shift

Answer 7

1945–1970s
After WWII, Australia needed to grow its population and labour force.
• The slogan “Populate or perish” reflected fears of invasion and a desire for economic development.
• The government focused on European migrants, especially British people through schemes like “10-pound Pom” program and “Bring out a Briton” campaign (1957)
• Australia also accepted child migrants from the UK, many of whom were orphaned or poor.
• Some were brought without proper consent, leading to later government apologies.

Question 8

Dismantle White Australia Policy

Answer 8

1970s onwards

The White Australia policy ended officially in 1975 under Gough Whitlam’s Labor government.
Policies began to reflect a more multicultural and non-discriminatory approach.
Migration became increasingly diverse, including refugees and economic migrants from Asia, the Middle East, and other non-European regions.