An Examination Of The White Australia - 2788 Words

Since the Whitlam Government passed the Racial Discrimination Act in 1975, the notion of â€Å"White Australia† was thought to have disappeared with it all together. However, time and time again, like cancer it strikes without warning. Though the media and government believe Australia has been inherently free from the White Australia notion, it has yet to truly disappear from modern day Australia. To understand why the White Australia notion has yet to disappear, an examination of Pauline Hanson needs to be taken into account, with a primary focus on her political party, One Nation’s beliefs and ideologies. Furthermore, a close look at our own government’s policy towards asylum seekers with a brief look at their treatment in Australian†¦show more content†¦It should be noted however, that prior to Hanson’s rise to power â€Å"between 1984 and 1996, hostility to Asian immigration and multiculturalism became more acceptable.† (Jupp 2002, p.12 8) These kinds of radical sentiments towards the Asians in particular demonstrates that though the Act was passed by Whitlam, the White Australia notion has not yet cease to exist. Hanson, instead of attempting to understand the rapidly changing world around her, took these pent up hostilities and transformed it into her backward political party, One Nation. Moreover, for a political party, no matter how backward the ideology is, its existence still depended on public support. Thus, the creation of the One Nation Party in 1997 clearly demonstrated the continual existence of a White Australia notion. It would seem that Hanson has always had a negative stance toward immigration, especially against ‘Asians’. This is evident in her maiden speech whereby she said â€Å"we are in danger of being swamped by Asians †¦ They have their own culture and religion, form ghettos and do not assimilate †¦ I should have the right to have a say in who comes into my country. Hanson also believed her views to be that of a typical Australians.† (Jupp 2002, p.130) This gross generalisation of Asians by Hanson along with One Nation winning a surprising amount of seats in parliament, only further reinforces the notion of White Australia’s continual existence in modern day Australian society. The year