Migration Experiences

Question 1

Why did Australia seek to increase its population? Whose plan was this? When was he elected?

Answer 1

After threat of Japanese invasion Australia felt threatened so they decided to increase population size- “populate or perish”. PM Ben Chifley’s plan he was elected 1945. Also they needed more for the infrastructure boom.

Question 2

Who created the first department of immigration? When? Who was the first minister for immigration? What did he say in 1945?

Answer 2

Chifley created it in 1945. Arthur Calwell was the first minister. He said, “We cannot continue to hold our Island continent for ourselves and our descendants unless we greatly increase our numbers.”

Question 3

How did Australia try to make itself seem appealing?

Answer 3

Through advertising such as the land of tomorrow poster 1948.

Question 4

Why did Europeans come?

Answer 4

10,000s of them had lost their homes due to war and resources were scarce.

Question 5

What were some programs that increased migration?

Answer 5

Ten Pound Poms, Bring Out Briton, child migrants, Big Brother Movement, IRO

Question 6

When did the Ten Pound Pom Program begin? What was it? What were expectations?

Answer 6

1947. Children were free and adults were 10 pounds. They had to stay two years of pay 120 pounds. They were promised employment and good housing but these promises were not always fulfilled in the greatest quality.

Question 7

What was the Bring Out Briton Program? When did it begin? When was it popular until?

Answer 7

1957. Australian nominated. Immigrants were sponsored by local committees and assisted by the DOI. Until 1960s

Question 8

What was child migration? How many came? Why were they appealing?

Answer 8

Many came alone, so,e taken against will. They were appealing as they were cheap labour and a long term contribution to society. 50000 we sought in 1944 but not all came. Thousands came between 1947 and 1967

Question 9

What was the big brother movement? When did occur? How many came?

Answer 9

Teenagers migrated a d were given support by adults. 500 came between the 1950s and 60s.

Question 10

How did the IRO benefit population growth?

Answer 10

It was founded in 1946 and Australia was a founding member. They accepted 12000 refugees a year from fair countries.

Question 11

Who were the beautiful balts?

Answer 11

They came from the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. They had suffered Nazi invasion. They were desired as they were fair and were thought to fit in.

Question 12

Where were immigrants kept?

Answer 12

Migrants were kept in migration camps. They were crowded and they underwent training and resettlement.

Question 13

What was the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme?

Answer 13

It was designed to irrigate water inland and generate electricity. It required 10000 workers many of which were migrants. Migrant camps worked for two years.

Question 14

What was the White Australia Policy?

Answer 14

It was a series of migration policies in Australia that gave favourable treatment to immigrants from Europe and discriminated against others even if dispossessed. It was created in 1901 and it was basically the Immigration Restriction Act.

Question 15

What were some events that lead to the creation of WAP?

Answer 15

In the 1850s Chinese people came for the gold rush and clashed due to competition in jobs and mining. The economic depression in the 1890s meant that anti-Arianism increased as jobs, especially cheap labour were ‘at risk’

Question 16

How did the WAP discriminate against migrants?

Answer 16

Not directly as this was frowned upon by Britain and internationally but a dictation tests was used to weed out ‘undesirables’. It was 50 words and could be in any language. This excluded these people for decades.

Question 17

How did communism and its spread affect who could live in Australia? When?

Answer 17

Refugees that were given refuge during the war from Malays, Indonesia, Philippines were deported. This happened in 1947.

Question 18

When was the WAP abolished? Why?

Answer 18

1973. People were unhappy with it and protested against it.

Question 19

What events and changes in government lead to the WAP being replaced?

Answer 19

In 1949 Menzies was elected and Harold Holt replaced Calwell. Holt allowed 800 non-European refugees to stay and assisted migration was extended to Italy, west Germany, Belgium, Greece and Spain by 1956. 650 Japanese women were allowed to stay. Non-Europeans could become citizens after 15. In 1959 Australian citizens could sponsor for Asian spouses citizenship.

Question 20

When was the WAP replaced? What was in place instead? What did this mean? Quote?

Answer 20

In 1958 the Migration Act was introduced and the dictation test repealed. Instead the qualifications of asians were looked at. Alec Downer the MOI at that point said ‘distinguished and highly qualified Asians’

Question 21

What was the Colombo plan? What did it try to do?

Answer 21

Introduced in 1950, the government funded Asian countries to improve economic and social development. This increased ties with Asia. Aus donated $300 million for expertise, food, equipment and funding for Asians to go to aus uni. They were meant to leave and take home their knowledge and stop communism but many stayed.

Question 22

What was the domino theory? What event helped this? How did Australia react?

Answer 22

Thi was a belief that one by one countries would fall to communism. Fear grew when Mao Zedong became chairman and made People’s Republic Of China. Menzies ignored China but Whitlam recognised them. The communist party was nearly banned in 1951

Question 23

Because of this fear of communism what did Australia do? When did this spread start?

Answer 23

With the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union. Australia sent 17000 to Korean War to stop invasion in the south. Helped out in the Malayan emergency, fighting against the Malayan communist party. They also went to Vietnam and Laos and Cambodia for the Vietnam war between 1955 and 1975. They sent 60,000 to stop invasion from the north but failed.

Question 24

What was the Southeast Asian Treaty Organisation?

Answer 24

Australia joined to stop communism in SE Asia. It lasted 20 years but achieved little.

Question 25

When did Holt remove race as a discriminat? How did this change things?

Answer 25

1966. 746 migrants in 1966 to 2696 in 1971.

Question 26

What three changes did Whitlam make? When?

Answer 26

In 1971 he outlined three changes. “We removed the assertion that a primary national adjective would be to increase population. We removed the commitment to expand the immigration program…and thirdly we said unequivocally that there must be no discrimination on grounds of race or colour or nationality.”

Question 27

When was the rest of the WAP removed? By who? What did this change?

Answer 27

In 1973 by Whitlam. Migrants could then apply for citizenship after three years of residence. Nearly 200 000 Indo Chinese came in the 20 years after 1975

Question 28

How did the Vietnam war lead to the end of the WAP?

Answer 28

Because of Australia’s involvement they felt they had to help the half of Vietnam displaced by the war.

Question 29

What replaced the WAP? What did this change?

Answer 29

The 1975 Racial Discrimination Act. The use of racial criteria for offical purposes was illegal.

Question 30

How was multiculturalism implemented in Australia? When was this prominent? What is this? What were disadvantages?

Answer 30

In the 1950s. Migrants in Australia were required to adapt to western culture. They had to abandon their precious customs and practices as Australia didn’t want to be under the influence of outsiders. It was the belief that Australia should have one culture that everyone would follow. This assimilation meant that even some cultures such as British people felt it hard to adapt. They were often unable to integrate and their education, skills and qualifications were not accepted so worked labouring jobs.

Question 31

When did this monoculturalism become less prominent? What was this a result of?

Answer 31

By 1965 migrants were encouraged to embrace their culture but also take in Australian values and customs in public. The policy of integration was a part of this. By the mid 1960s people were more aware of the hardships of migrants and the idea of one culture was under threat.

Question 32

When was multiculturalism recognised by the government? Who were in favour of this? What changes were made?

Answer 32

In 1973. Whitlam and his counter part Malcom Fraser. The Ethnic Affairs Council was made by the Fraser government in 1972. The Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs was created in 1979 and educated people about culture, diversity.

Question 33

What does cultural diversity mean?

Answer 33

Celebrating many other cultures and welcoming them into society.

Question 34

When was Bob Hawke PM? What was happening around this time?

Answer 34

1983-1991 the WAP had been abolished and there were debates about immigration and the acceptance of refugees.

Question 35

What were some negative views on Asian immigration rates?

Answer 35

That they were too high, threatening the social cohesion of Australian society.

Question 36

During Bob Hawk’s time what did leader of the opposition, Howard do about immigration? What did he say about multiculturalism? How did Hawke react?

Answer 36

He developed a new liberal policy on immigration and ethics affairs called ‘One Australia’. He suggested the rate of immigration from Asia should be slowed. “Multiculturalism suggests that we can’t make up our minds who we are or what we believe in.”he quickly dismissed it as race was not longer a discriminat

Question 37

What was the ‘National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia’? When? What other change was made also during Hawke’s time?

Answer 37

1989 the government released it and it was based on three rights and obligations. New initiatives also included a national Office Of Overseas skills Recognition, greater access to government services to all groups, greater support for English and second language teaching and learning and greater relationships between government and ethnic groups through a community relations program.

Question 38

When was Keating elected? What did he introduce? What did this mean? What changes were made to this?

Answer 38

In 1991, labour. In 1992 he introduced a system of mandatory detention to asylum seekers. This meant that arriving without a valid visa meant that they would be detained and go through checks and assessments. In 1994 the Time limit for detention was removed, meaning they could be detained indefinitely.

Question 39

Why did Australia do mandatory detention?

Answer 39

Changes were made to policies concerning refugees in response to increasing Vietnamese, Chinese and Cambodian refugees. This was was to calm the population and lead to mandatory detention. It was also to push the message that people cannot expect to be instantly allowed into a country without valid documentation.

Question 40

When did Pauline Hanson become part of the issue? What were her views?

Answer 40

She was elected into parliament as a liberal in 1996 but when she was no longer supported due to her racist comments she became an independent. After becoming elected as a member of Oxley she made a speech which summarised that she wanted the immigration policy to be reviewed and that she wanted to get rid of multiculturalism as she believed asians were a danger. She went on to form her own party called ‘One Nation’ and in 2016 she was elected into the senate for Queensland.

Question 41

When was Howard PM? What were his views on multiculturalism? What did he do because of this? What policies did he strengthen? What quote support his view?

Answer 41

1996-2007. He attempted to implement a citizenship test and he aimed to maintain conformist traditions. He continued the mandatory detention program and he extended the Policy (Pacific Solution) where they transported asylum seekers to PNG. The government increased boarder security in places where there were many boat arrivals such as Christmas Island. “We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstance in which they come.”

Question 42

When was the term boat people first used? What were some waves? What government changes happened with these waves?

Answer 42

With the arrival of the First Vietnamese refugees in the late 1970s and early 1980s. 2nd- arrived in 1989 and early 1990s and were mainly from Cambodia, Vietnam and Southern China. Keating introduced mandatory detention.
3rd- in 1999 from Middle East and numbers were larger than ever before.
4th- 2012 17000 People triggered another large debate.

Question 43

What happened during the 3rd and 4th waves that changed the debate?

Answer 43

Stories of 10s or 100s of people dying in sinking ships became increasingly visible to the public through media and the political debate became one of deterrence for reasons of safety as much as slowing the number of arrivals.

Question 44

How has our country remained committed to multiculturalism?

Answer 44

It has remained strong despite the political debate on boat people. It was nearly changed by Howard but has the policy has stayed strong for 40 years. The Australian Multicultural Advisory Council was created by Rudd to promote diversity and the commitment was reaffirmed by Gillard. It is unlikely we will return to the 20th Century way

Question 45

When was the Tampa Crisis and who did it involve?

Answer 45

the Tampa (a Norwegian Freighter) was heading to Singapore and the Palapa was heading from Java to Australia. It had 438 asylum seekers escaping the Taliban in Afghanistan. On the 25 of Ausguss they met in the Indian Ocean when the Tampa went to assist as they were out of power.

Question 46

What happened in the Tampa Crisis?

Answer 46

Despite being told by Australian authorities to take them to Indonesia they went to Christmas Island as they were sick and distressed. Howard rejected the request to land but the Tampa refused to leave. The Australian army’s Special Air Services Regiment was ordered to board. Norway reported this to the UN. They asked for medicine but the commando troop boarded instead. Australia only took 28 of them.

Question 47

How many people approved of the government making plans to send asylum seekers to Nauru? And sending the Tampa victims there?

Answer 47

74%.

Question 48

How many Vietnamese people lived in Australia by the end of the war? What happens after?

Answer 48

2000. Half of Vietnam was displaced and many sought asylum in Australia.

Question 49

What was the Pacific Islander Labourers Act? When? Why?

Answer 49

In the years before federation Pacific Islander people came to Queensland to work on the sugar cane farms. There was fear that they would steal jobs so they were deported around 7000 with the act.