KKP 5: The social, political and economic impact of immigration, assimilation and multiculturalism as opposing policy positions

Question 1

Assimilation

Answer 1

• 1947
• Following WW2 the number of migrants from European countries increased due to the large number of people who had been displaced due to conflict
• based on the belief that migrants should adapt to the customs of the dominant culture (Anglo Saxon, Christian)
• Gov. Programs were established to help migrants integrate, learn English, find work

Question 2

Multiculturalism

Answer 2

• 1978 - current
• Aims of the assimilation and integration policies were not being met
  
  • “desired” European migrants had stopped coming to Australia
  • weren’t integrating successfully (school)
• White Australia Policy abolished 1973 and 1978
• Under the policy of multiculturalism it was recognised that people could be a part of 2 cultures in the same country
• It has changed over the years but still remains as a current gov policy
• Allowing people to share the values of Australian democracy but also continue to celebrate their own cultural traditions
• Events such as the radical riots in Coronulla, sydney, in December 2005 and the indigence of muslim extremism in some migrant communities have been used by some to challenge the effectiveness of the policy

Question 3

Integration

Answer 3

• 1965
• Based on the premise that Australian Indigenous people and immigrants had their own culture, languages, customs and traditions that needed to be “westernised”

Question 4

White Australia Policy

Answer 4

• 1901-1978
• The belief that only British or white-skinned people should migrate to Australia
• The main aim of the policy was to keep Australia a predominately white nation and monoculture
• Immigration Resitriction Act of 1901 - set of laws that intentionally made it difficult for non-British people to migrate to Australia
• Many of the Chinese people living in Australia (especially Victoria) at the time felt excluded and isolated

Question 5

Immigration

Answer 5

• The movement of people from one country to another

- 3 categories - migrants, refugees and asylum seekers

Question 6

Migrant

Answer 6

• People leave their country of origin voluntarily to seek a better life for a range of personal and economic reasons
• They have made the choice to leave
• Had a chance to plan and prepare for migration
• Generally can return at any time

Question 7

Refugee

Answer 7

• A refugee is a personal who is outside their own country and us unable or unwilling to return due to a well founded fear of being persecuted because of their race, religion, nationality, member ship of a particular social group or political opinion (UN’s Refugee Convention)
• If a person is found to be a genuine refugee, Australia is obliged under international law to offer support and ensure the person is not sent back unwillingly to their country of origin

Question 8

Asylum seeker

Answer 8

• a person who has fled their own country and applies to the government of another country for protection as a refugee
• they have applied for recognition as a refugee under the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees but whose case has yet to be determined
• They are deemed “illegal”
• However, it is legal to seeker protection from persecution according to Australian international law, regardless of the means of arrival

Question 9

Immigration Programs in Australia

Answer 9

Migration program and humanitarian program

Question 10

Migration program

Answer 10

• Accepts ‘skilled migrants’ to live in Australia

- Selected under 3 streams - skill, family and special eligibility

Question 11

Humanitarian program

Answer 11

• Offers resettlement to refugees and others allowing individuals and their immediate family living outside of their home country who have been subject to gross violation of their human rights in their hime country to seek refuge in Australia
• Onshore and Offshore:
  
  • Onshore offers protection to people are already in Australia when they apply for protection
    - Offshore offers resettle to people outside of Australia who are in humanitarian need

Question 12

Social impacts of Immigration: Positives

Answer 12

• High level of intermarriage between people of different cultural backgrounds
• Celebration of material culture (food, music and festivals)
• The willingness to explore other peoples belief systems

Question 13

Social impacts of Immigration: Negatives

Answer 13

• Social cohesion has been challenged (people not getting along)
• Creates racism
• Creates moral panic
• People viewing other ethnicities inferior to that of the dominant culture
• Islamaphobia

Question 14

Racism (Social impacts of Immigration)

Answer 14

• The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities special to that “rave”, especially so as it distinguish it as inferior to another race or races
• Old racism: racism based on a persons biology
• New Racism: Victimises ethnic groups on the basis of culture and ethnicity

Question 15

Islamaphobia (Social impacts of Immigration)

Answer 15

The fear or hatred of people who practise the Islamic faith. Events such as the Sydney Diege, 9/11 and ISIS perpetuate this fear

Question 16

Moral Panic (Social impacts of Immigration)

Answer 16

• Stanley Cohen 1960’s
• Occurs when a society becomes convinced it is under threat by a group or social activity
• The role of the media is fundamental in the process
• Media focuses attention on what is seen to be a threat to the moral order or stability in society
• Typical examples are “illegal” immigrants/boat people

Question 17

One Nation - Pauline Hanson (Political impacts of Immigration)

Answer 17

• formed in the 1997
• argued that multiculturalism threatened “traditional” (Anglo) Australian culture and misused public funds on “minority groups”
• argues that it wishes to abolish to “abolish multi-racialism “ and the Racial Discrimination Act of 1975
• The ideologies of the ONP: Nationalism, Protectionism, Anti-ImiGRATION, Social Conservationism and Right-Wing Populism
• ONP rallied against the government immigration and multiculturalism policies, which, it argued, were leading to the “Asianation” of Australia

Question 18

Australia First Party (Political impacts of Immigration)

Answer 18

• 1996
• has long argued for multiculturalism to be abolished as an official policy.
• The views of Australia first range from concerns that multiculturalism encourages ethnic “tribes”, increases the humber of rapes” and that ethnic support groups should lose public finical support
• Policies 4 and 5 relate to immigration and multiculturalism:
  
  • “Immigrations mistakes can be bug ling term mistakes. Immigration must take into account social cohesion, employment opportunities, urbanisation and environmental issues”
  • “End the divisive, government funded institutionalised policy of multiculturalism”

Question 19

Snowy River scheme (Economic impacts of Immigration)

Answer 19

-1949-1974
-purpose of the scheme to collect water from melting snow and rain in the Snowy Mountains. Where once most of this water used to flow into the Snowy River, it is now diverted through tunnels in the mountains and stored in dams. The water is then used by power stations to create electricity
-More than 100,000 people from 30 countries came to Australia to work on the project.
-The gov assisted over 170,000 displaced persons to migrate to Australia
-“Populate or perish” Australia promoted immigation under the pbelif that they needed a larger society if Australia were to survive economically
How it benefited the economy:
-filled skill shortages
-create a demand on goods and services
-foster international trade through knowledge of overseas markets
-contribute to taxes

Question 20

Reclam Australia (Social impacts of Immigration)

Answer 20

• An example of moral panic is the Reclaim Australia group
• A group of Australians who take part in rallies, who believe that to retain the successful way of life there need to be certain restrictions placed on Islamic people by the government
• Halal tax: reclaim australia wants to limit the amount of things which have this tax in order to limit our support to them

Question 21

Ageing Population (Economic impacts of Immigration)

Answer 21

• Australia’s population is getting older. It is predicted that over the next 40 years, the proportion of the population over 65 years will almost double around 25 percent (families having fewer children, living longer life expectancy in 1960 for males = 68, now=78)
• This is an issue because a bigger population means there will be more people living with diseases and disabilities (health issue increase as you age) = GREATER DEMAND ON HEALTH SERVICES
• research suggests that migration can help address some of the negative effects of an ageing population
  
  • fill skill shortages
  • create a demand on public goods and services
  • foster international trade through knowledge of overseas markets, business networks, cultural practices and languages other than English
  • Migrants predominantly workforce age = assist in keeping up workforce growth, they will raise general skill levels and productivity