The+White+Australia+Policy

Please click here to return to Year 6 Topics

White Australia and limits to civil rights for non-Europeans
At the opening of Federal Parliament, on 9 May 1901, the speech of the Attorney General Alfred Deakin (later Prime Minister) reflected the populist sentiment of some Australians when he opined on a vision of Australia as a nation that should 'remain one people, without the admixture of other races'. The [|White Australia Policy]62 came into law when //The Immigration Restriction Act 1901// was passed in December, restricting immigrants from working in Australia and restricting migration of non-white people Restrictions, however, were not uniform across Australia.

//The Immigration Restriction Act 1901//
Anyone with a non-European background [|wanting to enter Australia]64 had to sit for a dictation test of 50 words in a European language, later amended in 1905 to any prescribed language. Customs officers were instructed to choose an appropriate text. Early protests by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, [|William Ah Ket]65, a Melbourne Barrister, and [|Quong Tart]66, a successful Sydney businessman and member of the Freemasons, and [|William Loo Ching of Surry Hills]67(//Daily Telegraph//, 9 May 1888) had no effect in changing the White Australia Policy. The non-European population in Australia declined dramatically after 1901 (a total of about 47,000 residents). Merchants, students and tourists could only enter on temporary permits. Japanese pearl divers and Malay and Filipino boat crew, however, were exempt from the dictation test. In addition, wives and children of non-British people were barred from joining husbands in Australia after 1903. The use of contract Pacific island labour was banned after May 1904. [|The Pacific Islands Labourers Act 1901]68 enabled the deportation of Islanders already living and working in Australia. Southern European migrants were recruited instead by [|Colonial Sugar Refinery]69.

Please click here to return to Year 6 Topics