Episode 3 of Australia Fair looks at the halcyon period of the White Australia. Once the White Australia Policy kicked in after Federation in 1901, things sailed along until the Second World War. Most Australians firmly believed that maintaining a homogeneous White population was crucial, and mechanisms like the dictation test were notoriously rigged to prevent non-white individuals from entering Australia. But the White Australia policy also impacted non-white people already in the country. Across the Federation period, South Sea Islanders were ‘blackbirded’ to Australia. Often tricked or forced into indentured labour, many then settled and built lives in Australia and were forcibly deported following the implementation of the policy. We also look at today’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, which brings workers from Pacific Islands to Australia for low-skilled, seasonal work. Critics argue that this scheme mirrors past injustices, drawing comparisons to blackbirding and modern-day slavery due to reported exploitation and poor working conditions.
If you look at the language used around it at the time the public language, the political language, there was no problems in the Australian community referring to it as the white Australia policy. People were quite comfortable about it. White Australia played quite well at the time for a domestic audience.Abul Rizvi — former Deputy Secretary of Immigration
Australia Fair offers a critical look at the nation's struggle to reconcile its diverse present with its exclusionary past.
Find all episodes in the eight-part series in the SBS Audio app or other podcast apps such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and LiSTNR.
GUESTS
Abul Rizvi - former Deputy Secretary of Immigration
Professor Fethi Mansouri - Deakin Distinguished Professor in Migration and Intercultural Studies Social Justice
Emelda Davis - Councillor (Waskam), founding chair Association of South Sea Islanders
Australia Fair is created by Janak Rogers
Additional editing by Max Gosford
The podcast is dedicated to Joyrsri Trivedi Rogers (1945 — 2024). "Woman Extraordinary. Plenipotentiary. Citizen of the World, Origin India". And, to John Michael Rogers (1932 - 2002).
