Chinese in Australia

Abstract

In June 1966 less than 0.3% of Australia's population consisted of Chinese or half Chinese residents.1 The size of this figure gives no indication of the impact which Chinese migration and settlement had on the formation of Australian policies and attitudes concerning nonEuropean immigration. The effects, real and imagined, of this migration were one of the major determinants of colonial and later federal restric? tive immigration policies which until recently were a 'settled issue' of Australian politics. In the last few years, however, there has been a questioning of many of the assumptions on which non-European immi? gration policy is based. The present article will briefly outline the history of Chinese settlement in Australia as a prelude to an examination of some of the assumptions underlying immigration policy. Non-Chinese often incorrectly assume that all the Chinese met or seen in Australia are either students or visitors and temporary residents. In fact, of the 26,723 Chinese living in Australia in 1966, over one-third were born in Australia and were second if not third or fourth generation Australians. Just over half the foreign born were students in Australia for the duration of their course while the remainder were mainly perma? nent residents.2 The numbers of Australian born Chinese highlights the long history of Chinese migration to Australia. The early history of Chinese immigra? tion to Australia is very similar to the American situation. By 1849 there appear to have been only 270 Chinese in Australia, most of them brought out by European pastoralist interests to replace convict labour. The dis? covery of gold soon after brought a great influx of migrants to Australia from China and elsewhere. The numbers of Chinese in Australia in