National Library of Australia obj When Australia federated in , parliamentarians felt it necessary to create a national law for immigration. The Immigration Restriction Bill was one of the first Bills introduced to the new parliament and proposed a twofold approach to restricting non-white population growth. The Act came into law on 23 December The Act gave immigration officers the power to make any non-European migrant sit a word dictation test. This was initially given in any European language, and after in any prescribed language.
As the language chosen for the dictation test was at the discretion of the immigration officer, it was easy to ensure failure for migrants deemed undesirable, either because of their country of origin, possible criminal record, medical history, or if considered morally unfit.
Extremely small numbers of non-white migrants were ever allowed to pass. The test was administered times prior to , with only 52 people granted entry to Australia. After not a single migrant made to sit the test passed. Small numbers of migrants were granted certificates of exemption from the test but often exempted people became separated from their friends and family members who did not pass and were deported. The introduction of two accompanying acts the Pacific Island Labourers Act and the Post and Telegraph Act further limited access to Australia for non-white migrants by outlawing the use of imported labour and making it mandatory to hire white workers on any vessels transporting Australian mail.
The White Australia policy had an immediate impact, rapidly changing demographics. By only 2. The effect was most obvious on the Asian population. Though only 1. In the late s, it became obvious that British migration was not providing the desired numbers, and that strict adherence to the White Australia policy was an impediment to population growth. This was the first of a number of steps that gradually eroded the policy until its basic dismantling by the Holt government in The Whitlam government completely eliminated it in the s with the introduction of policies like the Racial Discrimination Act George Megalogenis shares his top three defining moments, among them the White Australia policy.
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But the following are excepted:—. Natal Act , No. See Vict. Certificates of exemption. A certificate of exemption shall be expressed to be in force for a specified period only, and may at any time be cancelled by the Minister by writing under his hand. Upon the expiration or cancellation of any such certificate, the person named therein may, if found within the Commonwealth, be treated as a prohibited immigrant offending against this Act:.
Provided that in the case of a person entering the Commonwealth from any vessel under this section no penalty shall attach to the vessel or its master owners or charterers.
Immigrants evading the officers or found within the Commonwealth. Any immigrant who evades an officer or who enters the Commonwealth at any place where no officer is stationed may if at any time thereafter he is found within the Commonwealth be asked to comply with the requirements of paragraph a of section three, and shall if he fails to do so be deemed to be a prohibited immigrant offending against this Act.
Any immigrant may at any time within one year after he has entered the Commonwealth he asked to comply with the requirements of paragraph a of section three, and shall if he fails to do so be deemed to be a prohibited immigrant offending against this Act.
Entry permitted on certain conditions. Any prohibited immigrant within the meaning of paragraph a only of section three may if thought fit by an officer be allowed to enter the Commonwealth or to remain within the Commonwealth upon the following conditions:—.
Unlawful entry of prohibited immigrants. See Natal ib. Every prohibited immigrant entering or found within the Commonwealth in contravention or evasion of this Act shall be guilty of an offence against this Act, and shall be liable upon summary conviction to imprisonment for not more than six months, and in addition to or substitution for such imprisonment shall be liable pursuant to any order of the Minister to be deported from the Commonwealth.
Provided that the imprisonment shall cease for the purpose of deportation, or if the offender finds two approved sureties each in the sum of Fifty pounds for his leaving the Commonwealth within one month. Certain persons may be deported. Any person who is not a British subject either natural-born or naturalized under a law of the United Kingdom or of the Commonwealth or of a State, and who is convicted of any crime of violence against the person, shall be liable, upon the expiration of any term of imprisonment imposed on him therefor, to be required to write out at dictation and sign in the presence of an officer a passage of fifty words in length in an European language directed by the officer, and if he fails to do so shall be deemed to be a prohibited immigrant and shall be deported from the Commonwealth pursuant to any order of the Minister.
Penalty on masters and owners of ships. Natal ib. The master, owners, and charterers of any vessel from which any prohibited immigrant enters the Commonwealth contrary to this Act shall be jointly and severally liable to a penalty not exceeding One hundred pounds for each prohibited immigrant so entering the Commonwealth.
Provided that in the case of an immigrant of European race or descent no penalty shall be imposed under this section on any master owner or charterer who proves to the satisfaction of the Court that. Detention of vessel. The Minister, or any Collector of Customs specially empowered by him, may by writing under his hand authorize any officer to detain any vessel from which any prohibited immigrant has, in the opinion of the officer, entered the Commonwealth contrary to this Act; and the vessel may then be detained either at the place where she is found, or at any place to which the Minister or Collector may order her to be brought.
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