ONLINE EXHIBITION OF THE AUSTRALIAN HISTORY MUSEUM

Description: Booklet, 16 pages in length written after WWII, containing the views of the Australian Communist party towards migration and the 'White Australia' policy. The booklet contains a description of Australian immigration history including significant events which shaped popular opinion and policy. Notable events in migration history are the gold rush era influx of the mid 19th century which created cultural clashes and the belief that immigrants were undercutting Australian wages seen in the Australasian Steamship Navigation Coy strike, which according to the ACP, became most associated with anti-Chinese agitation. In the booklet, the ACP makes several references to the labor movement and states that the acceptance of the WAP is an indication of the employer class influence in the labor movement. Throughout the ACP opposes itself to the WAP and its racial discrimination.

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The booklet also includes an outline of the Communist party proposals on immigration: That there should be employment for Australians and migrants, that immigrants are to be given equal wages so as not to undercut Australian workers and that immigration should be in accordance with the Australian economy and employment.

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Anecdote: Between 1930-34 thousands of immigrants petitioned the British Government to repatriate them on the grounds that they had been brought here under false pretences.

Significance: This object is an example of the 'Populate or Perish' sentiment following Japanese aggression during WWII. The communist party were advocates for the increase of migration and for the cessation of the 'White Australia' policy as early as post WWII outlining its offensiveness to Australia's allies; China, India and Indonesia.