During the 20th century, there were two documents produced, Australian Immigration Policy and The
Australian Nation. The purpose of this report is to present the two different images made by the documents and analyse why the documents were written the way they were. It will be argued that Australian immigration policy needs to be changed as it is racially incorrect, and that Australians are a proud people who harbour no malcontent for other nations but want to protect what they have.
To analyse the two documents, a brief summary of the key points made will be presented. The key points made in the document 'Australian Immigration Policy' are; the current policy of exclusion of Asians should be changed to a different policy of controlled intake based on international agreements that take into account skills, health, age of the immigrant. White Australia is an outdated and offensive term that should not be used. By admitting highly skilled Asian immigrants, Australia's culture is sufficiently enriched. The key points made in the document 'The Australian Nation' are; Australia is a classless, democratic, advanced and modern nation. Australians are generous, hospitable and a tolerant society. Australians way of life is desirable and unique. To protect this way of life, depends on the selective immigration policy which is not racist because Australians are racially tolerant.
The current policy of exclusion of Asians should be changed to a different policy of controlled intake based on international agreements that take into account skills, health, age of the immigrant, (Documents Booklet AUS 11, 2007, p.3-8) constructs an image of the immigration policy only focussing on the colour of the immigrant and not what that immigrant can bring to the country. This is supported by Australians being encouraged to have large families and migration to Australia was thought to be essential to avoid national extinction. Although, in order to preserve the Australian heritage, the 'right' migrants were sought after, British migrants (Study Guide AUS 11, 2007, p.27). However, in (Documents Booklet AUS 11, 2007, p.14-15) the point is made that to protect this way of life, depends on the selective immigration policy which is not racist because Australians were seen as racially tolerant. This constructs a different image to that of racism.
White Australia is an outdated and offensive term that should not be used. Documents Booklet AUS 11, 2007, p.3-8). Again, the image that comes from this is one of racism. Assimilation was a transitional doctrine in the sense that it facilitated the shift from 'British-white', monoculture definition of the nation to one conceptualised in pluralistic and multicultural terms. It acknowledged the need for the host society to reach out to new settlers, whilst maintaining the belief that ethnic and cultural homogeneity could be preserved (Readings 20, p.89, 1997). Sir Frederic Eggleston makes no reference to a "white Australia", but does suggest that Australian's are fanatically determined to protect their way of life.
By admitting highly skilled Asian immigrants, Australia's culture is sufficiently enriched (Documents Booklet AUS 11, 2007, p.3-8). The image was constructed so people would be more accepting of the Asian immigrant population. If there are good reasons for re-making an outdated immigration policy then people are more likely to be in support of it. A new Australia is coming into being before our eyes; and it is an Australia which, we believe, has all the elements of greatness (Readings AUS 11, 2007, p.166).
Australia is a classless, democratic, advanced and modern nation (Documents Booklet AUS 11, 2007, p.14-15). That is how Sir Frederic Eggleston describes the nation. Frederic also suggests that Australians are generous, hospitable and a tolerant society (Documents Booklet AUS 11, 2007, p.14-15). This is an image very different to that of the one being presented by the Australian Immigration Policy. When reading the article by Lathem, J.G, you can't help but feel worried about how other countries are viewing our immigration policy.
Australians way of life is desirable and unique (Documents Booklet AUS 11, 2007, p.14-15). In the Australian Immigration policy document, there is no mention of an Australian way of life. But the image that is being portrayed to other nations, especially those of Asian countries are being led to believe that Australians are racist and don't want them or their culture in the country. Foreigners weren't told what 'the Australian way of life' actually is, and to quote one such foreigner "what is this way of life? No one yet tells me what it is! Yet always tell me to adopt it…perhaps I begin to behave like you behave in pubs. I drink beer until I am stupid. Or learn to "put in the boot" and bash the other fellow with a bottle…Is this the way of life I must learn? (Readings AUS 11, 2007, p.160).
In conclusion, an analysis of these two documents has shown that Lathem, J.G has constructed an image of the Australian Immigration Policy being racially intolerant of Asian countries and that the policy is out of date. This was made quite clear by only taking into account the immigrant's skin colour and not their skills, health and age. In contrast, Eggleston, Sir Frederic who wrote The Australian Nation, has created an image of a classless, democratic, racial tolerant and a desirable way of life.
References
Documents AUS 11 2007, 'Australian Studies: Images of Australia IA', School of Arts, Griffith University, Brisbane.
Eggleston, Sir Frederic 1953, 'The Australian Nation', in G. Caiger (ed.) The Australian Way of Life, Melbourne: Books for Libraries Press, pp: 14-15.
Latham, J.G. 1961, 'Australian Immigration Policy', Quadrant, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp.3-8.
Readings AUS 11 2007, 'Australian Studies: Images of Australia IA', School of Arts, Griffith University, Brisbane
Study Guide AUS 11 2007, 'Australian Studies: Images of Australia IA', School of Arts, Griffith University, Brisbane.
