Assisted passages are introduced for migrants from the USA, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

Federal Government enacts Wards’ Employment Ordinance in the Northern Territory which makes Aboriginal people wards of the state with minor status and discriminates against them

Assisted passage agreement is concluded with West Germany and arrangements are made with Austria and Greece. Japanese wives of Australian servicemen are admitted under permits

Federal Government convenes Australian Conference for Native Welfare, with every state and territory represented except Victoria and Tasmania, which claim to have no Aboriginal ‘problem’.

First annual Citizenship Convention is held in Canberra, with aim of helping non-British migrants assimilate and become citizens. Russians living in China begin to leave

The United Nations Convention on Genocide is ratified by Australia. It comes into force in 1951. Aboriginal people are given the right to enrol and

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is adopted by the United Nations with Australia’s support. Commonwealth Nationality and Citizenship Act creates status of ‘Australian Citizen’; previously Australians had been

Displaced Persons Scheme brings a total of 170,000 refugees, mainly from Eastern Europe – Ukraine, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Croatia. In the period of post-war reconstruction

Government begins deporting Asians and Pacific Islanders who fled to Australia in World War II. Aboriginal workers on stations in the Pilbara, Western Australia, go

Department of Immigration is established with plans to increase Australia’s population by 1% annually through migration. Post war immigration program is set up, with ‘populate

Four Australian soldiers and at least 231 Japanese prisoners are killed in a breakout attempt by Japanese prisoners of war from a prison camp in Cowra. 108

Exemption Certificate is introduced. This means that certain Aboriginal people are exempted from restrictive legislation and are entitled to vote, drink alcohol and move freely

Darwin is bombed by the Japanese. In Arnhem Land, Aboriginal people make up a special reconnaissance unit in defence of Australia. Northern Territory Aboriginal missions

First Italian prisoners of war arrive.

The Dunera arrives in Sydney carrying Jewish refugees from Europe – they are interned at Hay, New South Wales, as ‘enemy aliens’. Discrimination against Aboriginal