The immigration debate in Australia: World War I and its impact

Immigration almost ceased during the war, but parliamentarians debated about how to increase population without changing the White Australia policy or compromising working pay and conditions. The group of immigrants deemed ‘undesirable’ expanded to include people of enemy origin, southern and eastern Europeans, and members of new radical political movements. Parliamentarians debated the treatment of immigrants and people of enemy origin, and wartime legislation and regulations stripped these groups of many civil and commercial liberties. Nearly 7,000 people were interned in Australia during the war, and most of these were ultimately deported. Questions parliamentarians raised during the war continue to be discussed in the 21st century, including whether an immigrant can become a ‘genuine Australian’, whether politicians should control citizenship without judicial recourse and the extent to which national security should come at the cost of individual rights