Racism in Australia

Category: Race and Ethnicity

Alex, Anna, Charlotte, Kevin, Louis

Like South Africa, Australia was established as a settler colony, designed to ease the burden of England’s debtor’s prisons.
Most immigration prior to 1950 was British, in an Australian effort to make Australia in England’s image.
During the 1950’s Gold Rush, settlers moved inwards and claimed indigenous lands, along with key aspects of the geography like watering holes, while eroding the land by releasing animals like rabbits.
Aborigines were denied citizenship throughout the 20th century, and were not included in censuses of the country.
Mixed race children were taken from their mothers and integrated into white Australian society. These children were called the “Stolen Generation.”
Aborigines were regarded globally as the lowest race of humans.
Restrictions on immigration first began in the 1850’s to plug the influx of Chinese who came to work in the gold fields, outcompeting whites for jobs.
At the founding of the Australian Commonwealth, immigration was restricted to Europeans only.
Australia refused to accept the League of Nations Charter if a racial equality clause was included. Due to Lloyd George’s clout, it was not.