‘Immigration debate’ occurs in response to community concern about high levels of immigration in the context of high unemployment. Professor Geoffrey Blainey, historian and academic, is critical of the Government’s immigration program, in particular numbers of migrants from Asia. Public debate in the media and Federal Parliament focuses on attitudes of some Australians to Asian immigration.
First significant group of refugees from Africa (mainly Ethiopa) arrive.
First congress of Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) is held in Melbourne.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage (Interim Protection) Act is passed.
National Population Council is established.
Residence qualification for citizenship is reduced from 3 years to 2.
Council for Overseas Professional Qualifications is established to improve the recognition of migrants’ qualifications.
Review of Commonwealth Schools Commission’s Multicultural Education Program. National Advisory and Co-ordinating Committee on Multicultural Education (NACCME) is established to monitor and review multicultural programs.
South Australian Maralinga Tjartutja Land Rights Act is passed. Maralinga Tjartutja, a corporate body, is established to administer some 80,000 km of Maralinga lands.
In his speech Geoffrey Blainey declares “More than half our immigrants are now from Asia, and many come from a peasant background” and “It is almost as if we have turned the White Australia policy inside out”.Blainey coins the term “Black Armband” to describe critical views of Australia’s colonial history.
This derogatory term is adopted by many prominent conservatives including the then Prime Minister John Howard and the media.
