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Sequence 3—Multiculturalism and immigration in the 1980s and 1990s
The 1980s and 1990s in Australia saw immigration lose bi-partisan support and multiculturalism challenged, but surviving economic pressures and political controversies. While Asian immigration increased and the assisted passage schemes ended, Australia's humanitarian program still supported refugees in crises and migrant family re-union. Government and communities put more emphasis on support for social harmony.
In this teaching and learning sequence students will have the opportunity to focus on:
- Defining multicultural Australia (The Blainey Debate 1984,the Agenda for a Multicultural Australia report 1989, the National Inquiry into Racial Violence 1991)
- Promoting immigration, multiculturalism and anti-racism.
Defining multicultural Australia
Key immigration history chronology
Have the students build the Timeline of 1980s-90s immigration (.pdf 101 kB) during Sequence 3. This ongoing activity includes a selection of some of the key events and developments relevant to immigration and multiculturalism with brief annotations. Reference the teacher version of the Australian immigration timeline 1980s and 90s with annotations of key events and policy developments through the period.
By 1988, Australia’s Bi-Centenary year, one in five Australians had been born overseas. ‘This made Australia the most immigrant nation on earth, apart from Israel’ (Richards, 2008). The population was nearly 16 million. But almost half a million immigrants had also left Australia since 1959 as circumstances improved in their home countries.
The Blainey debate (1984)
In 1984 a public debate surfaced, known as the ‘Blainey debate’ after Professor Geoffrey Blainey, about the number and type of migrants being accepted into Australia. In this section students should be informed about the context of that debate and investigate a few aspects of the debate that questioned the Australian government’s immigration and multiculturalism policy.
Teacher note: For a teacher overview, reference the text and podcast: Is diversity a danger to the nation? This document outlines the key features of Blainey’s argument, the response at the time and points against his argument.
How Blainey sparked the debate — criticisms of immigration policy
Professor Blainey was speaking to a Rotary members conference in the Capitol Theatre at Warnambool, in country Victoria. No one expected his speech to cause the furore it did. A report in the local newspaper, The Standard, was picked up by the national newspapers and talk-back radio and sparked a national debate.
Blainey’s claims
Ask students to identify and describe Blainey’s main claims about immigration policy. Professor Blainey put forward the main claims that:
- the level of Asian migration was too high and threatened ‘social cohesion’
- migrants generally took ‘Australian’ jobs
- there was a deliberate anti-British and pro-Asian quota policy
- unless major changes were made to immigration policy, racial conflict and violence would happen, such as that which had occurred in the Brixton riots in England.
Show students some of the headlines in newspapers about Blainey’s comments and identify the key immigration issues for their notes.
The historical context — 1984
Using the timeline and teacher overview, outline these key points for student overview of the historical context:
- 1984 was the Hawke Labor government in power and an election scheduled for end of year.
- An economic recession in the early 1980s put pressure on immigration numbers.
- Public debate about what human rights should be included in a Bill of Rights for Australia.
- A ‘wave’ of refugee immigrants from Indo-China to Australia followed the Vietnam War and conflicts in Cambodia and Laos (See sequence 2) since 1976 as part of Australia’s humanitarian program responsibilities.
- A shift in immigration policy from skills to family re-union which allowed Indo-Chinese migrants to sponsor extended family members.
Responses and impact
Racist organisations like the National League (formerly the National White Australia Policy League), the League of Rights, and the Immigration Control Party ramped up a campaign against Asian immigrants in Australia. The political issue was whether Australia should go back to an ‘ethnic’ quota system or stay ‘non-discriminatory’.
Have students examine the extract from Hansard: The government’s reply (.pdf 203 kB) in Parliament on 8 May 1984.
Ask students to write a brief description of what the Minister of Immigration’s interpretation of Blainey’s criticisms was and his reply.
Consequences
Some 100,000 refugees had come to Australia from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos between 1976 and 1986 following conflicts in Indo-China.
Have students’ research and describe the types of responses by the community and government to Blainey’s claims. Remind students of research skills, from Achievement Standards, such as ‘analyse sources to identify motivations, values and attitudes’.
Consider: The Blainey debate had no real impact on the Federal election, but the Hawke government announced changes to the size and composition of future migrant intake and that there would be no Bill of Rights and that the Human Rights Commission would be incorporated in another government department.
Looking back
Mick Young (Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs, and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Multicultural Affairs, 1987–88) looks back from 1995 and comments on fears about Asian immigration and the end of the White Australia policy. Have students identify and describe the main points of his argument.
Examine an extract from ‘Human rights and the Blainey debate’ in Australian Multiculturalism: A Documentary History and Critique, by Lois E Foster. This source focuses on the key points of the debate and its implications for human rights. It includes Blainey’s article in The Age newspaper outlining his arguments (March 28, 1984).
Agenda for a Multicultural Australia report (1989)
Focus: Why was this report significant for multiculturalism and immigration policy?
Guide a student investigation to identify the three dimensions of the Australian multicultural policy highlighted by the National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia: cultural identity; social justice; and economic efficiency.
Teacher note: EAL/D learners may need an explanation of vocabulary or a summary of a selection of the key points to help 'build the field' knowledge (terms and concepts) for this topic.
Review, critically analyse and discuss selected sections of the following documents:
- Australian Government Office of Multicultural Affairs(1989), National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia
- A review of the report in the Parliamentary Library.
As a class, identify the three dimensions and discuss two or three of the positives for anti-racism (Note that the Agenda also highlighted disadvantages to some migrants).
National Inquiry into Racial Violence (1991)
Racist violence is the most serious expression of racism. The Race Discrimination Commissioner and Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission considered the evidence of racist violence in the Australian community at that time.
Teacher note: EAL/D learners may need an explanation of vocabulary or a summary of a selection of the key findings and recommendations to help ‘build the field’ knowledge (terms and concepts) for this topic.
Consider using the 3-2-1 Bridge approach to start the sequence on racial violence. This routine ‘asks students to uncover their initial thoughts, ideas, questions and understandings about a topic and then to connect these to new thinking about the topic after they have received some instruction.’ Make it clear to students that their initial thinking is not right or wrong, it is just a starting point.
Focus: the key findings, recommendations and significance of the Inquiry
Student inquiry questions
Why was this Inquiry set up?(See the report preface)
What were the aims of the Inquiry?
- to determine the extent of racist violence within the Australian community
- to determine the forms by which racist violence is expressed
- to determine what options are available for governments, government organisations and non-government groups to counter the problem of racist violence
What were the key findings and recommendations of the Inquiry?
Review, critically analyse and discuss selected sections of the Report of the National Inquiry into Racist Violence 18 April 1991 (.pdf 303 kB). There were 18 Findings and 67 Recommendations so select some of these particularly relevant to refugees and migrants for group or class focus.
- Provide students with the worksheet (.pdf 117 kB) for this activity.
- Guide the introduction about reasons for the inquiry and purpose so that meaningful time can be spent on findings and recommendations (for example, Findings 7–10 and recommendations).
- Initiate small group investigation of different findings and recommendations.
- Coordinate report back mini-sessions to maintain focus and collaboration.
- Create an overview summary on the board and in notebooks (in paragraphs).
To conclude, have students identify and explain the overall significance using questions such as:
- Which minority group experienced the most racism at that time?
- Do the findings seem credible?
- Are the recommendations relevant and useful?
- How is multiculturalism fairing at that time?
- What aspects of Racism still exist/need attention today?
If the 3-2-1 Bridge approach was used, now ask students, in pairs or small groups to complete another 3-2-1 activity and identify and explain any shifts in their thinking about racial violence. A class discussion could conclude the sequence.
Note: In Sequence 4 there is an opportunity to investigate the Cronulla Riots (2005) in some detail.
Extension activity—National Inquiry into Racial Violence (1991)
To extend teaching and learning for this part of Sequence 3 have students respond to the question, Which recommendations of the National Inquiry into Racial Violence (1991) applied to the media, to government authorities, to individuals and the community?
Promoting immigration, multiculturalism and anti-racism
Focus: Advertising campaigns from Post-WWII to the present which supported government policies and programs for immigration, multiculturalism and anti-racism.
The Australian government promoted immigration programs, such as the ‘Bring out a Briton’ scheme, ‘£10 Pom Scheme’ or the pull factors of the Australian the nation, with posters and leaflets. These are historical sources for the nature of the policies and trends of the times. Further examples have been used as sources in other sequences of this unit.
Pose the question: Historically, how have advertising, such as posters and leaflets, been used in promoting immigration programs and policies like multiculturalism and anti-racism? (This is proposed as a preparation for an optional Summative task for Sequence 3)
Poster analysis
Using one or more of the following posters have students explain the theme of the poster; how the design (images, headings and taglines and style) promotes the theme; and the usefulness and significance of the poster as an historical source.
- Same Make Different Model, Harmony Day, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, circa 1998–1999. Harmony Day is a government initiative to promote community harmony and reduce racism and intolerance.
- Harmony Day, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, circa 1998–1999
- Australia: Live, Work and Play in Natural Harmony, Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, circa 1990s
- Australia: Look Towards a New Business Future, Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, circa 1990s
- Racism. It stops with me (.pdf 101 KB) campaign; Adam Goodes (.pdf 184 kB) poster; campaign information pack (.pdf 1.1MB).
- Anti-Discrimination Board (NSW) posters.
Assessment for Sequence 3
In rich assessment tasks for this sequence, choose between poster- and information document analaysis, or a whole-of-class Australian Humanitarian Program submission.
Resources in Sequence 3
Find a summary list of resources used for each sequence in this unit, including additional teacher resources suggested for each sequence.
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