Australian Immigration: 1947–73

Abstract

As in Canada and the United States, immigration has been a major factor in Australian history. Over the 185 year period 1788-1973 (the First Fleet, containing Australia's pioneer garrison and convicts, arrived from Britain in 1788) the population grew from some 300,000 Aborigines to more than 13,300,000 souls of many different origins, 35 per cent by immigration and 65 per cent by natural increase, with much of this last being due to immigrants having children after arrival. This immigration has not always been steady or popular; indeed, Australia has sometimes been called a boa-constrictor, taking huge gulps of immigrants when times are good and immigrants plentiful, and then quietening down for digestion during periods of war or recession, (see Figure I). In particular, the Labor Party and Trade Unions have resolutely opposed large-scale immigration whenever they think there is danger of unemployment, as in the last three years. Additionally, after 25 years of immigration averaging nearly one per cent a year, there has been much talk of too great an immigrant pressure on housing, schooling, welfare and other resources; also much talk of Australia approaching its desirable population size and of the need for a policy of zero population growth. All these considerations led recent governments to cut the immigration target from 170,000 a year or more to some 80,000?this, after deducting the loss of native Australians and former settlers, has produced a net migration gain of something under 40,000 a year, 1971-73, compared with 104,000 a year, 1966-71. Even so, post-war immigrants and their children, have contributed about 59 per cent of Australia's post-war increase and now make up about 25 per cent of Australia's total population. A major element in Australia's immigration has been distance from Europe, some 11,500 miles by sea from London to Sydney via the Suez Canal and 13,000 miles via South Africa. To compete with the pull of much cheaper fares from Europe to the Americas, Australian govern? ments have found it necessary to assist 'desirable' settlers by paying their passage costs and providing them on arrival with initial accommodation and jobs. Over the years 1788-1947 about 45% of settlers arrived with some sort of government assistance, compared with 64% since 1947; this last figure reflecting the very great effort involved in the post-war migration