One Nation leader Pauline Hanson traced Australia’s recent migration problems back to the repeal of the White Australia policy during an interview on a podcast hosted by British far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Hanson said that after the Whitlam government repealed the White Australia policy in 1973, Australia began accepting migrants from different countries. She claimed that earlier migrants from Italy, Germany and Poland integrated into society more easily, but that some migrants later came to Australia “purely for the welfare system” and even exploited the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
She further claimed that many people in Muslim communities were allegedly “ripping off” the NDIS, citing areas such as Lakemba in western Sydney as examples. However, Federal Health Minister Butler said the government had never received data breaking down NDIS recipients by nationality or religious background, questioning whether the figures Hanson cited even existed.
Hanson also said during the interview that her daughter had the potential to become a future leader of One Nation, but stressed that she would have to prove her ability herself.
Robinson has previously been convicted and imprisoned for offences including assault, fraud and contempt of court. Hanson was criticised for collaborating with him on the podcast. She said that during her trip to the UK, she had seen “what Australia could become” and insisted she would not apologise for meeting him.
Commentary:
In fact, Australia had already begun accepting migrants from different countries after the Second World War, while the country’s migration history can be traced back to the colonial period in 1788 and the 19th-century gold rush, which attracted migrants from around the world. What was repealed in 1973 were racially discriminatory migration restrictions, not a sudden opening of the borders that created problems.
As for the migration issues Australia faces today, the real issues worthy of discussion should be the scale, planning and support measures of migration policy, rather than the race or religious background of migrants. When population growth places pressure on housing, transport, healthcare and education, the government of course has a responsibility to review migration policy and ensure that infrastructure and social services can keep pace with population growth.
Migration policy can be criticised, and government policies should be subject to scrutiny. However, public debate cannot replace evidence with unsubstantiated allegations, nor can complex social problems be blamed on a particular group while avoiding the government’s responsibility for planning and governance.