The White Australia policy

The Immigration Restriction Act 1901 was a landmark law passed by the first parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Act provided the cornerstone of the unofficial 'White Australia' policy. This policy, aimed at maintaining Australia as a nation populated predominantly by white Europeans, remained in place for many decades.

Get thinking

• The dictation test was one of the primary ways the Immigration Restriction Act was implemented. How was it used to control which immigrants came to Australia?
• How effective was the dictation test in maintaining a 'white' Australia?
• Why do you think the Australian Government stopped using the dictation test?

Get going

• Click on record links below to see more primary sources.
• Click on the 'about' tab attached to some of the records to learn about that record.

Records