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Memorandum to the Secretary, Department of External Affairs about Australian immigration policy
[Handwritten reference number in blue ink '557/1/4'. Crossed out in red ink, and a second reference number is written in red ink '555/1/7.']
File No [blank space]
Date 7th July 1954
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION POLICY
[Underlined heading in margin:] FOR THE SECRETARY:
At the meeting of Section Heads on 6th July, a short discussion arose out of General Cariappa's recent remarks on Australian immigration policy. A suggestion was made that a departmental committee should bring together our thinking on this question. Several people with experience in South Asia spoke of the difficulties caused by our present policy and the need to make some gesture which would at least have the appearance of removing racial discrimination from our policy. There was some talk of the merit of a quota system for Asian immigrants.
2. I suggested that the Canadian experience of a limited quota system for British Commonwealth Asians had not been altogether happy and that the idea of a quota might not offer the solution which persons thought. It might be that all we could do was to continue to administer our very wide Act and Regulations sympathetically, to avoid at all costs using the term "white Australia" and to publicise our absence of discrimination in receiving students, businessmen, etc.
3. I suggested that it would be helpful if Political Intelligence were to produce a draft setting out the present position and the attitude to be taken by our overseas representatives if faced with criticism. In addition, I suggested that Central Section do a note on possible alterations in administration which might counter propaganda against Australian immigration policy while safeguarding the fundamentals of that policy. Mr. Davis and Mr. Eckersley will produce drafts on these lines. [Paragraph highlighted with a vertical line in the margin and the handwritten annotation 'This is important & useful.']
4. The press report this morning, if it is true, to the effect that the Indian Government may ask for a quota of Indian immigrants, would make any alteration in our policy more difficult. However, it gives point to the need for endeavouring to define the departmental attitude on this subject. The Minister and Department of Immigration will, of course, have strong views.
[Handwritten initials:] PS.
(Patrick Shaw)
Assistant Secretary
(United Nations, &c. Division)
PS/PF
[Handwritten addition at bottom of page:] Mr [name illegible]. This was a meeting at which you were unable to attend. As the Sections involved are in your Division, perhaps you will take over following action. PS 8/7
[A tick and the initials 'MP' have been written over the above annotation.]
