AUSTRALIA AND IMMIGRATION

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24369, 22 September 1944, Page 8

AUSTRALIA AND IMMIGRATION

POPULATION PROBLEM

LACK OF PUBLICITY

OVERSEAS

(Rec. 7 p.m.) CANBERRA. Sept. 21. Australian trade unions would have to revise their attitude towards migration. declared a Labour member, Mr T. F. Williams (New South Wales), in the House of Representatives. He advocated an immediate overhaul of the Commonwealth immigration policy and the appointment of a director of migration at a salary of not less than £SOOO a year. . . . “The trade unions of this country in the past unfortunately took the view that the bringing of more people into the country Would cause unemployment and affect the rate of wages.” said Mr Williams. “At the time they had good reason for that point of view because there was not then ■ enough work for Australian workers. There is no doubt that immigration here has been badly handled. In. the past we have approached the question in the wrong way. In 1933 Parliament was forced to admit that settlers had been brought to Australia under false pretences, and legislation to compensate them had to be passed. Australia received such a bad advertisement that millions of pounds now spent to advertise us could hardly repair that damage.” Mr J. Abbott (Country Party, New South Wales) said the heavy migrations into Australia of rapidly reproducing coloured people would be fatal. The waifs and strays of Europe might form a valuable source of migrants. Answering a question, the Prime Minister (Mr Curtin) said inquiries were being made about the reported opposition in Britain to the sending of war orphans to Australia. It had been reported that the British Ministry of Pensions Was opposed to allowing war orphans to leave Britain until they were of age to make the choice for themselves. No Australian scheme had yet been placed before the British Government.

The lack of Australian publicity overseas was attacked in the Senate by another Labour member, Senator J. I. Armstrong (New South Wales). He said the Commonwealth provision for such publicity was “niggardly,” and the parsimonious ignorance in overseas countries of Australia and the Australians was incredible and created hostility. The Commonwealth Film Unit, the staff of the Australian Publicity and Advertising Department, and contact men with adequate money should be placed in every capital city in the world.

“We cannot expect to take our proper place in the world by sending one man and a typist to a capital city to handle Australian publicity,” said Senator Armstrong.