United we stood but divided we were: Chinese Australian unity and the 1984 immigration debate

Abstract

This article investigates the concept of Chinese Australian unity as articulated in the context of the 1984 ‘immigration debate’. It does so through a study of the histories of three Chinese Australian community organisations from different parts of the country, tracing them from the onset of the immigration debate to the aftermath of the ‘1986 National Conference of the Australian Chinese Community’. It argues that even powerful motivations for pursuing the goal of ethnic unity might only temporarily overcome the inherent differences between Chinese Australian communities and their representative organisations.