Immigration Restriction Act 1901
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The 'White Australia' policy describes Australia's approach to immigration, from federation until the latter part of the 20th century, which favored applicants from certain countries.
The Immigration Restriction Act 1901, and the introduction of the White Australia Policy, had its basis in the earlier colonial immigration restrictions, a resurgent Japan, perceptions of unfair economic competition, and an underlying racism, which saw all coloured people as distinctly inferior to whites, and the need therefore to promote the ideal of racial homogeneity. •Prohibits the immigration of non-Europeans particularly Asians and Pacific Islanders •Afraid cheap non-white laborers would take jobs away from colonist •Self-interest Australia at the time was 98% White |
Dictation test
Had to pass a Dictation test
The dictation test was administered to foreigners or undesirables as a country entry-test. It was based on a battery of pre-set passages in different European languages. A passage was selected by the Commonwealth immigration official, to ensure 100% failure rate. Failure of the test meant deportation. The scheme was set up in 1901, and eventually abolished in 1958.
Here is an example of one of the passage.
“The tiger is sleeker, and so lithe and graceful that he does not show to the same appalling advantage as his cousin, the lion, with the roar that shakes the earth. Both are cats, cousins of our amiable purring friend of the hearthrug, but the tiger is the king of the family.”
The dictation test was administered to foreigners or undesirables as a country entry-test. It was based on a battery of pre-set passages in different European languages. A passage was selected by the Commonwealth immigration official, to ensure 100% failure rate. Failure of the test meant deportation. The scheme was set up in 1901, and eventually abolished in 1958.
Here is an example of one of the passage.
“The tiger is sleeker, and so lithe and graceful that he does not show to the same appalling advantage as his cousin, the lion, with the roar that shakes the earth. Both are cats, cousins of our amiable purring friend of the hearthrug, but the tiger is the king of the family.”
Prohibited immigrants were required to carry Certificate Exempting from Dictation Test any time they were leaving Australia.
•Those that did not carry this certificate would not be permitted back into the country
•This included Asians born in Australia
•Test could be written in one or all European languages such as English, French, Italian
•Those that did not carry this certificate would not be permitted back into the country
•This included Asians born in Australia
•Test could be written in one or all European languages such as English, French, Italian
1949-1959: White Australia policy survivors, refugees and others
Changes in the nature of the links of Chinese-Australians to China did not begin in 1949, and continued to develop in subsequent years. Certainly it was as a consequence of the anti-Japanese war that the small community of Chinese-Australians who were the survivors of the White Australia policy were supplemented by a proportionally significant group of wartime refugee stayers. While sponsored café assistants, market gardeners and other employees had been gradually increasing in numbers well before the war began, it was the post-1949 situation in China that created a refugee population in Hong Kong, including many people with Australian connections. One result of this situation was an increase in the numbers of people applying to enter Australia as sponsored employees, as well as in those smuggled into Australia on board ships who subsequently took up market gardening and other roles within the Chinese-Australian community.
Nearly 30,000 people of Chinese origin entered Australia in the 1950s, with over 10,000 of these doing so in the last two years of the decade, in part as the result of Malaysia joining the Colombo plan and consequent arrival of increasing numbers of students of Chinese background. Over the same period over 1 million immigrants arrived from Europe. These numbers can be difficult to interpret not only because many people who consider themselves ‘Chinese’ came to Australia from places other than China but also because many people in the 1950s who were allowed to enter Australia from China as refugees, were in fact of European origin, particularly those known as ‘white Russians’.
While many wished to leave China to come to Australia there were others among the Chinese-Australian community who were willing to go to China. Thus in this period when China was establishing a new order there were those who for ideological reasons returned to China to support the new government. Many who did so faced much suffering during the various campaigns and policy changes of the new China government. Conversely, within Australia anti-communist policies and fears also lead to much spying on the Chinese-Australian community, with ASIO and other government agencies suspicious of the political loyalties of many often simply because they were of Chinese origin. Photographs of those entering the Chinese Youth League were taken and some found their applications for citizenship denied after having attended this organisation’s premises to play table tennis. When King Fong was required to go to the Chinese Youth League to collect the pennies from the gas meter of what were his father’s tenants, he preferred to wear an apron so any cameramen would know he was merely entering for work purposes.
This is how one lawyer explained the situation of ‘Orientals” in Australia in 1954.
In 1973 the government took three further steps in the gradual process to remove race as a factor in Australia's immigration policies. These were to:
•legislate that all migrants, of whatever origin, be eligible to obtain citizenship after three years of permanent residence
•issue policy instructions to overseas posts to totally disregard race as a factor in the selection of migrants and
•ratify all international agreements relating to immigration and race.
Changes in the nature of the links of Chinese-Australians to China did not begin in 1949, and continued to develop in subsequent years. Certainly it was as a consequence of the anti-Japanese war that the small community of Chinese-Australians who were the survivors of the White Australia policy were supplemented by a proportionally significant group of wartime refugee stayers. While sponsored café assistants, market gardeners and other employees had been gradually increasing in numbers well before the war began, it was the post-1949 situation in China that created a refugee population in Hong Kong, including many people with Australian connections. One result of this situation was an increase in the numbers of people applying to enter Australia as sponsored employees, as well as in those smuggled into Australia on board ships who subsequently took up market gardening and other roles within the Chinese-Australian community.
Nearly 30,000 people of Chinese origin entered Australia in the 1950s, with over 10,000 of these doing so in the last two years of the decade, in part as the result of Malaysia joining the Colombo plan and consequent arrival of increasing numbers of students of Chinese background. Over the same period over 1 million immigrants arrived from Europe. These numbers can be difficult to interpret not only because many people who consider themselves ‘Chinese’ came to Australia from places other than China but also because many people in the 1950s who were allowed to enter Australia from China as refugees, were in fact of European origin, particularly those known as ‘white Russians’.
While many wished to leave China to come to Australia there were others among the Chinese-Australian community who were willing to go to China. Thus in this period when China was establishing a new order there were those who for ideological reasons returned to China to support the new government. Many who did so faced much suffering during the various campaigns and policy changes of the new China government. Conversely, within Australia anti-communist policies and fears also lead to much spying on the Chinese-Australian community, with ASIO and other government agencies suspicious of the political loyalties of many often simply because they were of Chinese origin. Photographs of those entering the Chinese Youth League were taken and some found their applications for citizenship denied after having attended this organisation’s premises to play table tennis. When King Fong was required to go to the Chinese Youth League to collect the pennies from the gas meter of what were his father’s tenants, he preferred to wear an apron so any cameramen would know he was merely entering for work purposes.
This is how one lawyer explained the situation of ‘Orientals” in Australia in 1954.
In 1973 the government took three further steps in the gradual process to remove race as a factor in Australia's immigration policies. These were to:
•legislate that all migrants, of whatever origin, be eligible to obtain citizenship after three years of permanent residence
•issue policy instructions to overseas posts to totally disregard race as a factor in the selection of migrants and
•ratify all international agreements relating to immigration and race.
It accepts and respects the right of all Australians to express and share their individual cultural heritage within an overriding commitment to Australia and the basic structures and values of Australian democracy. It also refers specifically to the strategies, policies and programs that are designed to:
•Make their administrative, social and economic infrastructure more responsive to the rights, obligations and needs of its culturally diverse population
•promote social harmony in their society and
•optimize the economic and social benefits of our cultural diversity for all Australians.
•Make their administrative, social and economic infrastructure more responsive to the rights, obligations and needs of its culturally diverse population
•promote social harmony in their society and
•optimize the economic and social benefits of our cultural diversity for all Australians.
Reference
A legacy of White Australia: Records about Chinese Australians in the National Archives. Kate Bagnall. http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/publications/papers-and-podcasts/immigration/white-australia.aspx
http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibition/trackingthedragon/white-australia-policy/
ww.racismnoway.com.au/teaching-resources/factsheets/59.html
A legacy of White Australia: Records about Chinese Australians in the National Archives. Kate Bagnall. http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/publications/papers-and-podcasts/immigration/white-australia.aspx
http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibition/trackingthedragon/white-australia-policy/
ww.racismnoway.com.au/teaching-resources/factsheets/59.html