The Disowned Revolution: The Reconstruction of Australian Immigration, 1945-1952

This Thesis places the beginnings of Australia's postwar immigration programs firmly in the continuum of Australia' post-Federation immigration history. It argues that it was, first and foremost, an attempt to reconstruct tried patterns of government encouraged and assisted British immigration which had been, for reasons more complex than has usually been acknowledged, effectively suspended since 1930. As during the interwar period, a categorically restricted intake of non-British migrants, and of numbered Jewish refugees under a 1938 agreement (Evian) was to be continued. The policy position as per January 1947 - the commencement date of government initiated immigration - indicated no new directions. It signalled no intent to widen prewar patterns of admissions, and had retired none of the discriminatory principles which had characterised Australian immigration since Federation.[…]