In January 1938 Australia celebrates the 150th anniversary of the landing of the “first fleet,” which brought British convicts to Australia. Since then, people of British and Irish heritage have constituted the vast majority of Australia’s white population. After the founding of the Federal Commonwealth of Australia in 1901, “White Australia” policies have been enshrined in law. The policies are aimed primarily against immigrants from China but actually affect all non-Europeans. In 1938 approximately 25,000 Jews live in Australia. Most have British origins, although there is also an East European Jewish community in Melbourne. The country is governed in 1938 by a conservative coalition under Prime Minister Joseph Lyons (United Australia Party).
The global economic crisis hits Australia hard, resulting in a curbing of immigration. In 1936, as the economy starts to recover, these restrictions are eased somewhat and, starting in 1938, immigration from Britain is even supported. Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria are generally subject to the same restrictive entry requirements as all other immigrants: People without close relatives in Australia may only enter the country if an Australian citizen guarantees their livelihood, if their economic activity does not burden Australian workers and if they can pay a landing fee of 50 Australian pounds. Immigrants without guarantors must pay 200 Australian pounds. In the case of Jewish refugees, the Australian Jewish Welfare Society may provide these guarantees.
These policies, to which the Australian government also adheres during the Évian Conference, are not controversial in Australia. However, the November pogrom changes public opinion: On December 1, 1938 the Australian government announces its willingness to take in a total of 15,000 refugees over the next three years. German and Austrian refugees benefit the most from this change in policy. However, the immigration authorities favor non-Jews and “non-Aryan” Christians.
While 1,556 refugees come to Australian in 1938, 5,080 arrive in 1939. With the outbreak of war, however, immigration comes to a standstill. By the end of 1939, Australia has taken in up to 8,000 refugees. During the war, some of these people are interned, along with the more than 2,000 refugees deported from Great Britain and South Asia to Australia, of which the majority are Jews. Only in 1942 does the government make an official distinction between “enemy aliens” and “refugee aliens.”
