AUSTRALIAN MIGRATION “Too soon” for Asian influx

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33212, 30 April 1973, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN MIGRATION “Too soon” for Asian influx

The resistance to Asian immigrants in Australia was gradually breaking down and the numbers of these new’ settlers had increased steadily in recent years, Miss Thelma Jarrett, of Melbourne, the president of the Federation of Soroptimist Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland, said yesterday.

But the country was not yet ready to receive them in large numbers, she said. “I have such a high regard for non-white people that I could not subscribe to any policy that brought them into my country and offered them only second-class citizenship.” she said. “Until we can give them equal opportunity in even’ walk of life, I feel it is better not to ask them in as new settlers. We must not move too fast until the ground is properly prepared for them and this is in the minds of the ordinary Australian citizen. But I do believe that most Australians will be happy when we can offer equal opportunity to Asians who wish to settle with us.” WORK TO BE DONE

A great deal of work also had to be done in getting to know the Asian way of life before immigrants from this region should be invited to live in Australia, she added. Miss Jarrett has been associated with settling newcomers to Australia for 20 vears. She was secretary of ■the Good Neighbour Council of Victoria for 18 vears. and was awarded an M.B.E. for her services in helping immigrants to adjust.

I Any reference to a “White iAustralia oolicv” is extremely ■distasteful to Miss Jarrett. "It is a most unfortunate: term, and. in any case, is ‘old hat’ today,” she said. EUROPEAN MIGRANTS Because Australia was a i relatively isolated country,] |there had been resistance to ,the first wave of immigrants] ifrom European countries in: ; the immediate post-war] years. “There still is some resis-! tance to them.” she said. “In some homes vou find it if a son or daughter marries, someone who has come from! |another country.”

i But most new Australians ■had enriched the lives of citizens, from the worker to I the academic, she said. “TWO-WAY ENRICHMENT” I “They have brought variety |into our lives from their own 1 cultural backgrounds,” she ■ said. “But this could not have, happened if Australia had not ■ already had a culture of its, 'own. It is the merging of: their and our cultures thathas made for the enrichment/ in a two-way process.” Miss Jarrett’s careers in: teaching, personnel and busi-i ness management and study! in various countries have equipped her well for work!

in the field of “human understanding.” And because she had studied economics and geography for university degrees and had travelled widely, she understood the backgrounds of the immigrants she had to help. They, in turn, felt they were talking to a friend when they realised she knew their countries and their social conN.Z. CLUBS PRAISED

Miss Jarrett, who is the first president of the Federation of Soroptimist Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland not a resident of the British Isles, praised the efforts of New Zealand Soroptimist clubs in founding a club in Suva.

“A Soroptimist club was needed there to give women confidence in what they could do in the establishment of their new nation,” she said.

Miss Jarrett was received by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr N. G. Pickering) yesterday, and w r as later entertained at luncheon by members of the Soroptimist