AUSTRALIA

INTRODUCTION

Australia’s immigration policy has changed significantly over time, beginning with racist foundations and moving to one of the most accepting countries in the world; but since 1996 changes have also occurred, leading to a move away from multiculturalism. This presentation will examine the history of immigration to Australia and immigration policies, before focusing on the changes brought in since 1996, and the increasing politicization of immigration.

PART 1: Changing types of immigration to Austalia and the reorientations of the immigration policies until 1996:

To go into the matter in more depth let us first focus on the changing types of immigration to Australia until 1996 (change in government) without forgetting to highlight the reorientations of the immigration policies which played undoubtedly a key role in the migratory trends. What is worth noticing is that this ‘flashback’ is obviously a necessary stage to fully understand the actual immigration policy and debate in Australia.

Since Australia became part of the British Empire in 1788, immigration has been a cornerstone in its economic development and nation building. As the Australian colonies were considered as lands rich in raw materials (wool, wheat, gold, etc) the British Crown sent there forced-workers through convict transportation and encouraged free settlement. Moreover, in order to avoid the construction of a ‘male society’, Britain elaborated migration schemes based on the sending of female convicts and single women (British or Irish escaping the potato famine): they were destined for menial domestic services and for becoming settlers’ wives[i]. During the 1850s, more than 600 000 migrants[ii] settled in Australia to provide for cheap labour needs and because of the gold rushes: this new wave of immigrants included many non-British or non-European workers, particularly from China, India and the South Pacific Islandsi. In the 1890s, the