The impact of the White Australia Policy

Most Australians today are of European descent, accounting for about 85% of the total population. Among them, the largest number are British (33.9%), followed by Irish (10.2%) and Italians (4.3%). ), German (4.0%), Scottish (2.9%) and Greek (2.0%). The remaining 12% are Asians (including immigrants from Turkey, Arabia, Iran, the South Asian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and East Asia), and 3% are native Aboriginals and others.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics predicts that by 2100, the proportion of Anglo-Irish Australians will drop significantly because of the relatively high fertility rate of recent immigrants. The declining fertility rate among native Australians has made racial restrictions on immigration a topic for certain political groups, such as One Nation. In the 1880s and 1890s, their main target was immigrants from East Asia and Southeast Asia. Many saw the Fine Gael victory as a resurgence of the White Australia Policy. In recent years, part of this sentiment has been directed toward immigrants from the Middle East. The race riots in Sydney in 2005 were considered to be the result of multicultural policies, while others believed that they were caused by the lack of multicultural policies.

However, the more profound impact of the White Australia Policy can be seen in public discussions. Many political groups publicly claimed that the White Australia Policy was not a racial policy. This assertion was based on the belief that non-European races were inferior to European races, as well as economic competition and the loss of dominant white control. In fact, at the height of the White Australia Policy, many Australian politicians, like their South African "colleagues", dismissed opposition with the above justifications. For example, Prime Minister Edmundo Patton claimed, "I do not believe that the principle of human equality includes racial equality. There is no equality between the races, only fundamental inequality. Those races are inferior to us white people." ..."

Like many other British colonies, Australia was founded as a colony for whites who gradually replaced the native inhabitants. Furthermore, its neighbors are mostly non-European countries. In the 1980s and 1990s, the government and media often promoted views such as Australia as a republic, harmony with locals, multiculturalism and the Asia-Pacific region (of which Australia was considered a part). Some conservative Australians ridiculed these claims and said that Australia is a Western country based on European immigrants. The current party, John Howard's Conservative Front, is often seen as a strong supporter of anti-racist views such as those above.

Overseas, and also in Australia, any slight racist bias will be viewed from a historical perspective, such as reports on Pauline Hanson (a notorious white racist politician), Pacific Settlement scheme (an Australian government policy to deport asylum seekers), the trial of Shapeli Colby in Indonesia and the recent (2005) race riots in Sydney. In addition, Mark Ransom, the former leader of the opposition party (Labor Party), mentioned in his book Ransom's Diary that the ANZUS alliance was the successor to the White Australia Policy, intending to insinuate that the military alliance between Australia, New Zealand and the United States was based on racism. Established for fundamental principles and purposes.