[In this chapter from his book, I Remember, Jack Lang gives a brief history of the White Australia Policy, relates how the British government interfered with local attempts to keep the hordes of coloured immigrants from flooding into Australia, and praises the policies that established a White Australia. Lang was the Premier of New South […]
W. G. Spence, trade union leader, and Australia’s Awakening
12 June 2015 by · Leave a Comment
“True patriotism should be racial.” ~ W. G. Spence [William Guthrie Spence (1846-1926) was one of Australia’s foremost trade union leaders. Reproduced here are various extracts from his book of reminiscences, Australia’s Awakening: Thirty Years in the Life of an Australian Agitator (1909).] Chapter XIII. The Industrial Fight in Queensland. The squatters had cut wages. […]
Black Power and a multi-racial society, by Arthur Calwell
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[In this extract from his autobiography, Be Just and Fear Not, Arthur Calwell mounts a passionate defence of Australia’s traditional immigration policies; opposes non-European immigration; and explains that the creation of multi-racial societies invariably leads to bloodshed and disaster. Calwell was Australia’s first Minister for Immigration (1945-1949), and was leader of the Australian Labor Party […]
Can be no half-measures about White Australia, by Arthur Calwell
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[Arthur Calwell defends the government’s immigration policy in this 1949 article. Calwell was Australia’s first Minister for Immigration (1945-1949), and was leader of the Australian Labor Party (1960-1967).] Can be no half-measures about White Australia By the Hon. Arthur A. Calwell, Minister for Immigration Professor Macmahon Ball in an article in The Argus of October […]
Danger for Australia, by Arthur Calwell
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[In this pamphlet, Arthur Calwell looks at the terrible Blackbirding practices of the past, defends Australia’s traditional immigration policies, and relates how the White Australia policy was being undermined by Capitalists on the right, Communists on the left, and misguided sentimentalists. Calwell was Australia’s first Minister for Immigration (1945-1949), and was leader of the Australian […]
“White Australia”, by Chris Watson
11 June 2015 by · Leave a Comment
[An article by Chris Watson (past Prime Minister of Australia) on the reasons and necessity for a White Australia policy, being an extract from his essay “The labour movement”, published in 1914.] “White Australia.” To those unacquainted with local conditions the cry for a “White Australia,” may seem somewhat hysterical, but there is no question […]
Chris Watson, leader of the Labor Party, seeks to strengthen the White Australia policy
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[A speech by Chris Watson regarding the White Australia Policy, in the House of Representatives, 25 September 1901. Chris Watson later became the Labor Party’s first Prime Minister, in 1904.] Mr WATSON (Bland) – Before I move the amendment of which I have given notice, and which I think will not have the effect of […]
Chris Watson, leader of the Labor Party, speaks in support of White Australia
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[A speech by Chris Watson regarding the White Australia Policy, in the House of Representatives, 6 September 1901. Chris Watson later became the Labor Party’s first Prime Minister, in 1904.] Mr WATSON (Bland) – I think that from this section of the House one may, without presumption, congratulate the acting leader of the Opposition upon […]
Chris Watson, Australian Prime Minister, working-class champion of a White Australia
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Chris Watson (1867-1941) was Australia’s third Prime Minister. He was the first Labor Party prime minister in the world. Watson was a staunch advocate of the rights of the working-class, and a campaigner for a White Australia policy. Watson took the long hard road to get into politics. He left school at the age of […]
T. J. Ryan, Queensland Premier, loyal to White Australia
8 June 2015 by · Leave a Comment
Thomas Joseph Ryan (1876-1921) was Premier of Queensland (1915-1919) and had been, before his untimely death, considered to be the best choice as the new federal parliamentary leader of the Australian Labor Party.1 He graduated with a law degree from the University of Melbourne, and worked as a teacher and as a lawyer. Ryan was […]
