Charles Price

Refugees and mass migration: Australia.

Since World War II, Australia has experienced large-scale immigration, both refugee and other, averaging nearly 1% of the total population a year and totalling from 1947-1985 nearly 4.3 million persons. Despite a remigration loss of 23%, the net gain has totalled some 3.3 million. Refugees have been appreciable, totalling well over 500,000 and with a relatively low rate of remigration (about 7%), have comprised nearly 15% of total net migration. These refugees, however, have not come in a steady stream. From 1947-1951 and with the Indochinese refugees of 1976-1985, they contain a large number of unskilled workers who may have difficulty finding jobs, especially in their early months when they are still learning survival English. The refugees have not been homogenous in terms of culture, language, religion, or race. The 200,000 Eastern European refugees of 1947-1952 were mainly Slavic and Christian in origin; the Armenian, Assyrian, and Lebanese of the 1960s and 1970s were more oriental in language and religion; the Indochinese of recent years, although mainly Buddhist, are mixed in terms of language and ethnic origin. Refugee intake is now an important element in total immigration while special measures are taken to help refugees successfully resettle. After comparatively short time these refugees start to resemble other immigrants, and tend to become naturalized in relatively large numbers.

Immigration Policies and Refugees in Australia

An examination of immigration policies shows that Australia modified its White Australia Policy of 1901–1958 to meet the needs of displaced persons and refugees during the past thirty years.

Book Reviews : From Assimilation to Group Survival: a Political and Sociological Study of an Australian Jewish Community, P. Y. Medding (Introduction by Marshall Sklare), Cheshire, Melbourne, 1968, xxii+309,

R. H. Brookes and I. H. Kawharu (eds.) : Administration in New Zealand’s Multi-Racial Society. P. Y. Medding: From Assimilation to Group Survival: a Political and Sociological Study of an Australian Jewish Community. M. C. Hodgkin : Australian Training and Asian Living. A. L. Epstein (ed.) : The Craft of Social Anthropology. James W. Wilkie: The Mexican Revolution: Federal Expenditure and Social Change since 1910. G. W. Parkyn : Success and Failure at the University, Vol. 2: the Problem of Failure, J. J. Small: Achievement and Adjustment in the First Year at University.

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Tms collection of papers presented to a Summer School of the Australian Institute of Political Science gives consideration to many of the salient questions and issues affecting Australian tertiary education. Two papers, by P. H. Partridge and Lord Bowden, deal principally with the universities, H. S. Williams with Technical Education and Lascelles Wilson with Adult Education; a final contribution from A. Hall and S. Encel examines