OUTCOMES: RACISM

Federation ensured that the 'White Australia' Policy was put into practice. The Immigration Restriction Act controlled immigration into Australia until 1958, although over the years it was frequently amended. The Act was designed to limit the sorts of people who were allowed to come to live in Australia. Although the Act does not mention race discrimination, would-be immigrants had to pass a 50-word immigration test in a 'European language'. It was completely up to the immigration officer as to which language was used, so the dictation test could be used to keep out anyone – the officer only had to choose a language the would-be immigrant didn't know.

IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION ACT

No. 17 of 1901.

An Act to place certain restrictions on Immigration and to provide for the removal from the Commonwealth of prohibited Immigrants. [Assented to 3rd December 1901.] Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia as follows-

1 This Act may be cited as the Immigration Restriction Act 1901.
In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears,-
'Officer' means any officer appointed under this Act, or any Officer of Customs;
'The Minister' means the Minister for External Affairs.
The immigration into the Commonwealth of the persons described in any of the following paragraphs of this section (hereinafter called 'prohibited immigrants') is prohibited, namely:-
(a) Any person who when asked to do so by an officer fails to write out at dictation and sign in the presence of the officer a passage of fifty words in length in an European language directed by the officer;
(b) any person likely in the opinion of the Minister or of an officer to become a charge upon the public or upon any public or charitable institution;
(c) any idiot or insane person;
(d) any person suffering from an infectious or contagious disease of a loathsome or dangerous character;
(e) any person who has within three years been convicted of an offence, not being a mere political offence, and has been sentenced to imprisonment for one year or longer therefor, and has not received a pardon;
(f) any prostitute or person living on the prostitution of others;
(g) any persons under a contract or agreement to perform manual labour within the Commonwealth: Provided that this paragraph shall not apply to workmen exempted by the Minister for special skill required in Australia or to persons under contract or agreement to serve as part of the crew of a vessel engaged in the coastal trade in Australian waters if the rates of wages specified therein are not lower than the rates ruling in the Commonwealth.

Immigration Restriction Act 1901 (No. 17), p. 1.