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[Stamped in black ink: 'DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION INWARD TELEPRINTER']

[Stamped in purple ink:] 27 APR 1972

[Handwritten annotation in blue ink:] Mr Brown

P996 12.45 27/4/72

KIDDLE CBA FROM GOODWIN

[Heading, circled in blue ink:] URGENT

REFERENCE YOUR REQUEST BY TELEPHONE FOR COMMENTS ON PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION ON NOTICE BY MR A. CALWELL. THE INFORMATION YOU REQUIRE IS AS FOLLOWS:

1. THE FAMILY MENTIONED IN THE WEEKEND NEWS ARTICLE OF THE 16 OCTOBER 1971 WAS GEORGE L [full name redacted], HIS WIFE MARIE AND 10 CHILDREN, WHO ARE THE SUBJECT OF CANBERRA FILE 69/65859. THE FAMILY HAVE NOT HAD ANY FURTHER PUBLICITY SINCE THE 16 OCTOBER 1971 NOR HAVE THEY CONTACTED THIS OFFICE WITH ANY PROBLEMS SINCE THEIR ARRIVAL. THEY WERE INITIALLY ACCOMMODATED AT KEANEY HOUSE, A HOSTEL MAINTAINED BY THE CATHOLIC MIGRATION OFFICE IN PERTH AND THEY MOVED TO PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION JUST OVER A WEEK AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL IN W.A. THE CATHOLIC MIGRATION OFFICE ADVANCED THEM ONE WEEK’S RENT AND ENTRY BOND FOR A HOUSE COSTING $18.00 PER WEEK AND BOTH THESE SUMS HAVE BEEN REPAID BY THE L [full name redacted] FAMILY. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN SOUGHT BY THEM FROM THE CATHOLIC MIGRATION OFFICE.

2. WE UNDERSTAND THE FAMILY TOOK OUT A TRAVEL LOAN FROM EITHER W.C.C. [World Council of Churches] OR I.C.M.C. [International Catholic Migration Commission] AND THE REPAYMENTS ARE MADE DIRECT TO THE ORGANISATION’S OFFICE IN MELBOURNE. THE PERTH CATHOLIC MIGRATION OFFICE ONLY BECOMES INVOLVED IN THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF TRAVEL LOANS IF REPAYMENTS ARE IN ARREARS AND NO SUCH QUERY HAS BEEN RAISED SO FAR CONCERNING THE L [full name redacted] FAMILY. MR L [full name redacted] HAS NOT BEEN IN RECEIPT OF UNEMPLOYMENT OR SICKNESS BENEFITS SINCE HIS ARRIVAL IN PERTH AND ALTHOUGH A CLAIM FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WAS LODGED BY HIM HE SECURED WORK BEFORE THE BENEFIT BECAME PAYABLE.

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3. YOU ALSO ASKED FOR COMMENTS CONCERNING STATEMENTS IN THE ARTICLE OF THE 16 OCTOBER 1971 ABOUT JOBLESS AND HOMELESS EURASIANS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. AN EXAMINATION OF OUR INTEGRATION CASE RECORDING SYSTEM REVEALS THAT WE HAVE ONLY DEALT WITH 12 PROBLEM CASES OF MIXED DESCENT MIGRANTS IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR AND NATIONAL SERVICE HERE CAN FIND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PARTICULAR PROBLEM CONCERNING MIXED DESCENT MIGRANTS SEEKING EMPLOYMENT IN THIS STATE. SIMILARLY, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMONWEALTH SOCIAL SERVICES IN THIS STATE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT ANY PARTICULAR PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE PAYMENT OF UNEMPLOYMENT OR SICKNESS BENEFITS TO MIXED DESCENT ARRIVALS. THE GOOD NEIGHBOUR COUNCIL HERE REPORTS THEY HAVE HAD A FEW ENQUIRIES BY ANGLO-BURMESE IN REGARD TO THE EMPLOYMENT POSSIBILITIES BUT THE INCIDENCE OF THESE ENQUIRIES HAS DIMINISHED LARGELY SINCE AN ORGANISATION KNOWN AS THE BURMESE FRIENDS ASSOCIATION HAS BECOME ACTIVE. TWO OTHER WELFARE ORGANISATIONS WE CONTACTED COMMENTED THAT ONLY OCCASIONALLY HAD THEY NEED TO FIND ACCOMMODATION AND OFFER ASSISTANCE TO MIXED DESCENTERS AND THAT THIS CLASS OF MIGRANT WAS IN NO GREATER NEED THAN ANY OTHER CLASS OF MIGRANT ARRIVING IN THIS STATE.

4. MRS DRAKE BROCKMAN SOCIAL WORKER AT CHRISTIAN WELFARE CENTRE COMMENTED THAT A NUMBER OF MIXED DESCENT BREADWINNERS SHE HAD ENCOUNTERED APPEARED TO HAVE TRADE OF ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS BUT OFTEN WORK IN UNSKILLED POSITIONS FOR EXAMPLE AS SHOP ASSISTANTS. SHE HAS NOTED THAT QUITE A NUMBER OF MIXED DESCENT MIGRANTS HAVE BEEN HOUSED BY THE STATE HOUSING COMMISSION IN HOUSES AND FLATS AT NORTH PERTH AND BALGA.

5. FINALLY WHILE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DENY THERE COULD BE SOME HARDSHIP CASES AMONGST MIXED DESCENT MIGRANTS IN THIS STATE THE EVIDENCE AVAILABLE TO ME THROUGH OFFICIAL SOURCES DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE IMPRESSION IN THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE OF 16 OCTOBER 1971 OF A FLOOD OF HOMELESS, JOBLESS AND PENNILESS PEOPLE. THERE COULD BE SOME FAMILIES IN DIFFICULTIES BUT PROBABLY IN NO GREATER PROPORTION THAN ANY OTHER MIGRANTS. IT IS OUR IMPRESSION THAT MIXED DESCENT MIGRANTS SEEM SOMEHOW TO COPE WITH THEIR PROBLEMS AND DO NOT NORMALLY SEEK OFFICIAL ASSISTANCE.

6. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER DETAILS.