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THE CHANGING FACE OF AUSTRALIA

One Families Contribution

[Left to right] The Terranova children; Gaetana, Tommaso and Salvatore in Sicily, Italy and again with their Father during their early years in Australia.

On the 13th of May 1955, my Nonna (Grandmother) - then 27 years old - disembarked from the ship ‘Oceania’ with three young children by her side. One month previously she had left Italy and her family to meet her husband in Melbourne to start their new life in Australia. Sixty years on - now 87 years old - she sits in a restaurant and celebrates her sixtieth anniversary in Australia. Now, with a continuously expanding family, three children, five grandchildren, and three great grandchildren surround her. This story however does not start in 1955, nor does it start a few years earlier when my Nonno (Grandfather) left Italy. Instead, the story dates back to 1901 when the White Australia Policy was created and an array of Immigration laws and regulations began, dominating Australian laws for the first half of the 20th century. Regulations that created a mindset in Australian society that would make my family’s migration and initial years a challenging battle, long after the legislation was abolished.

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The desire for a white Australia

Australia was not the first migration choice of my Nonno’s. Instead, the United States was his original desired destination. However, at this time Australian leaders still had an ideal Australia in mind - an ideal which Southern Europeans were not part of and did not fit into. Charles Kingston – the “Father of White Australia,”i gave a speech in 1888 at the Sydney International Colonial Conference. Kingston spoke of the “necessity of protecting our shores against actual invasion” as well as the “necessity of protecting Australia against the influx of aliens, Asiatics, criminals, paupers and other undesirable classes.”ii A decade on these views became Australia’s reality. Australia as it was in 1901 was vastly different from the Australia we live in today. We were newly federated and our leaders of the time had a very specific, idealistic view of what they aspired Australia to be. In the weeks before federation, an Australian newspaper wrote; “nothing at all should be permitted to interfere with the vital and permanent necessity of preserving Australia for White Australians.”iii At this time being a country completely dominated and entirely made up of white citizens was the main priority of Australian leaders. This ideal led to the creation of the White Australia Policy, which was passed through legislation in 1901.iv

Keeping the “undesirable” out

Simply put, the policy favoured migration from certain countries. Not only were European migrants the most desired; there was a hierarchy in which certain European countries were desired over others. People from areas of Western Europe were the most wanted migrants. For these people migration was supported and made simple and easy. Migration for people

from countries that were considered undesirable was made difficult, if not impossible. Multiple strategies were used to select or exclude certain people. Dictation tests were set up under the Immigration Restriction Act and were an effective way to exclude the unwanted. Dictation tests could be given to any person and in any language, at the immigration official’s discretion. For example, someone from China – a race unfitting to Australian ideals – could be given the test in German. These tests worked in a way that someone migrating from unwanted races – races that would upset “White Australia” – would fail the test, and be sent back to their home country.v Although it was originally assured that this test would be sure to exclude no European country,vi 1925 saw the creation of stricter laws aimed at “lesser” Europeans, a term used to describe Southern Europeans; inclusive of my family. The Immigration Act meant that the government was able to prohibit entry of “aliens of any specified nationality, race, class or occupation.”vii

Changing migration patterns

This ideal fast became unrealistic when numbers of desired immigrants began to slow down and numbers of displaced persons – resulting from World War II – increased.viii This decrease in availability of favoured races meant that Australia had to become more lenient on who they accepted. As mentioned above, my Nonno had the original plans to migrate to America. However, his clandestine attempt to migrate illegally into America was a fiasco. He was robbed of what money he had, and had to sell the provisions he brought for the journey to pay for his ticket back home. By 1952, he had saved enough money to attempt

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migration again; this time it was a legal migration and the destination was Australia which was now – out of necessity – more accepting of “lesser” Europeans. Three years later, in 1955 he was joined by his wife and three young children; Gaetana, Tommasso and Salvatore. On the 1st of October 1955, Good Neighbour newspaper released an article regarding recent migration statistics. They stated that the desired migration target was exceeded; in 1955, a total of 124,180 new settlers arrived to Australian shores. While British migrants dominated this number - 34,022 in total - Italian migrants made up the second largest group, with a total of 12, 564. ix

[Above] A Good Neighbour report discussing migration statistics; as can be seen, migration and citizenship articles dominate the page.

Despite the shift in legislation and the influx of Southern European immigrants, Australian society was not overly welcoming to them. Public opinion had come to view migrants as “takers rather than givers,” and immigration as intrusive and threatening to the “status quo of employment prospects.”x Because of this engrained public view, my family’s new life in Australia did not come

without difficulties. Although Southern Europeans were officially “welcomed” in Australia, it did not mean that public opinion was accepting of them. Many Italians, my family included, became social outcasts and the subject of discrimination.

The early years

[Above] My father, Salvatore, just prior to leaving Italy.

It has been stated by K Kern that the process of assimilation is dependent on the “attitudes of the host country and the support which he derives there from.”xi This process was not a simple one for my family. Over the years I have been told many stories about my families early years in Australia. From the first time my Uncle and Aunt went to school; unable to speak English, wearing handmade clothes and eating lunches that were culturally different. My Father was the last to start school. He was however enrolled early so that my Nonna was

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able to start bringing in a much-needed second income. As the children got older, they became more and more aware that they were considered to be different. They have told me about instances when the discrimination was more explicit; for example at some dances there were signs reading, “no wogs allowed.” There were also times that were more subtle; sniggering and hushed comments. The result of this for my Father was feelings of anger and frustration. After fifteen years in Australia he turned eighteen and was given the opportunity to become an Australian citizen; a choice that he swiftly declined and never revisited. In the past when I have questioned why he never became a citizen and his answer has remained the same; why become a citizen in a country you were never felt welcome?

The power of language

Language can be a powerful and empowering tool. It can also be destructive. When my Aunt turned sixteen, she was made to register with the Commonwealth under the Aliens Act 1947-1959. This registration came with instructions that needed to be “read carefully by alien before completion.” The instructions included phrases such as “the alien,” and “alien child.”xii The word “alien” can be representative of the mindset of Australian society at the time. It can also be representative of Australian legislation that was kept well after immigration laws were becoming more inclusive. As a sixteen year old, my Aunt may not have known nor understood why she was required to register under the Aliens Act; yet the registration worked to make her feel more of an outcast in Australian society. The word alien is dehumanising; ultimately, it means

someone from another place, outside the “normal," who doesn’t belong where you belong. Irrespective of what legislators intentions were, the negative connotations attached to the word “alien” left my Aunt, and later my Uncle and Father, feeling more excluded from Australian society.

Creating Italian communities

[Above] My Nonno, Guiseppe Terranova, pictured in Brunswick during the 1950’s.

One way that newly migrated families were able to make Australia feel like home was by creating small Italian communities within Australia. Certain areas in Melbourne saw a greater influx of Italian immigrants. The following statistics suggest that as a result of public perception of Italian migrants, they began to move to certain areas so that they were able to create their own small Italian communities. These communities then became a safe haven, a place where they were always welcome. When my Nonno arrived in Australia, he initially worked in Geelong before moving to Brunswick, Melbourne. This area was fast becoming dominated by Southern Europeans. Looking at the first census taken after my family migrated, the statistics show a larger increase in Italian born residents in certain suburbs

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in Melbourne. The 1961 Census of the Commonwealth of Australia shows that a total of 8,771 people living in Brunswick were born in Italy – the highest number of any suburb. Other areas that had large numbers of Italian born residents included; Coburg, Fitzroy, Footscray, Northcote and Preston.xiii Today these areas continue to have southern European ties with countless Italian clubs, Italian restaurants and Italian businesses. The area of Brunswick, and later Thomastown, became home for my family. Still today, after sixty years in Australia my Nonna attends her Italian club each week, spending time with the community that she helped to create.

[Above] My Nonno (circled )surrounded by other Southern European men who became part of the Italian community in Brunswick.

[Above] Map of the Metropolitan Statistical Division of Melbourne in the early 1960’s. Brunswick (circled) had the highest population of Italian born individuals than any other Melbourne suburb.

The workplace

In addition to these small communities, the workplace was another area that became a place of welcoming. My Nonna – who today still remains the family’s tailor – began working at a Laundromat and tailor store. Returning to the 1961 census, statistics show that she made up a large group of Italian women working in the clothing industry. Of the 9,141 Italian women included in the census, 6,074 women made up the “Clothing, knitted goods, boots etc” category. This was by far the largest group, second being the 1,179 women in the “yarns, textiles” category.xiv My Nonna’s work environment became a place for her to make friends, chat and feel at home – a place of support and similarity. Likewise, my Nonno worked in a field that was dominated by many Italian immigrants. After arriving in Australia he worked for the Shell refinery, before moving into textiles. In the same 1961 census, my Nonno could have been part of the two largest groups for Italian males; the first

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being founding, engineering and metal working, and the second being yarns and textiles. xv

[Above] My Nonno with work colleagues – working life provided a community of support for my Grandparents who both worked in industries dominated by Italian immigrants.

Shift in public opinion

Over the sixty years since my grandparent’s arrival in Australia things have changed dramatically. As the years went by life became easier for my family. Numbers of Italian immigrants increased and they started to become more accepted into Australian communities. My father seems to have mellowed in his attitude towards Australia and feels more relaxed and part of Australia than he did as a teenager. Slowly but surely public opinion changed and my family became part of the norm. Italians and other Southern Europeans became less and less foreign in Australian society, allowing them to begin to call Australia home. The changing face of Australia

The face of Australia has changed; we have seen people from many countries arrive in Australia, and migration has been a successful process. It has been over a century since the White Australia policy was created. Over a hundred years on, Australia is now viewed as one of

the most multicultural countries in the world. Living in Australia, we have become accustomed to having access to a diverse range of cultures. This variety is something we owe to the people who have migrated to Australia, bringing their customs with them. Migration is a large part our past. It has been happening in our country for hundreds of years and continues to do so. The migration landscape is always changing and it remains challenging to have a multicultural society. All new groups have difficulties when migrating – this did not stop with the Southern Europeans. Since their arrival, people migrating from countries such as Vietnam and India have all suffered the same fate that my family did. It is important that we create an environment where people feel safe rather than feeling outcast, a place where they feel part of the system. The face of Australia is ever changing, and my family’s small story fits into the very large story that is Australian migration.

GEORGINA TERRANOVA

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i L F Crisp, Federation Fathers, (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1990) pp. 299. ii ibid. pp. 299-300. iii D Day, ‘The ‘White Australia’ Policy,’ in C Bridge & B Attard (eds.) Between Empire and Nation: Australia’s External Relations from Federation to the Second World War, (Kew: Australian scholarly Publishing, 2000) pp. 31. iv G Tavan, The long, slow death of White Australia, (Melbourne: Scribe Publications, 2005) pp. 7. v ibid. pp. 10. vi ibid. pp. 27. vii ibid. pp. 28. viii B Murphy, The Other Australia – Experiences of Migration, (NSW: Cambridge University Press, 1993) pp. 59-60. ix ‘Migration target was exceeded,’ Good Neighbour, 1 October 1955, in Trove [online database], accessed 20th September 2015, pp. 5. x B Murphy, The Other Australia – Experiences of Migration, (NSW: Cambridge University Press, 1993) pp. 58. xi K Kern, ‘Immigration and the Integration Process,’ in A, Stoller (ed.), New Faces; Immigration and Family Life in Australia, (Melbourne: F.W. Chesire, 1966), pp. 30. xii National Archives of Australia: Italian/Soldatic Gaetana; B78, 5919813, p. 5. <http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=5919813&T=PDF> accessed 28th September. xiiiAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Census of the Commonwealth of Australia, 30th June 1961: Part 1. Analysis of population in Local Areas and in Non-Municipal Towns of 1,000 Persons or more, (1963) cat. No. 2107.0, <http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/free.nsf/log?openagent&1961%20Census%20-%20Volume%20II%20-%20Part%20I%20VICTORIA% 20Analysis%20o f%20Population%20in%20LGA.pdf&2107.0&Publication&38AF442D361E193BCA25787900175504&&1961&30.06.1961&Latest> pp. 18. xiv Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of the Commonwealth of Australia, 30th June 1961: Part II. Cross Classifications of the Characteristics of the population, (1965) cat. No. 2107.0, <http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/free.nsf/log?openagent&1961%20Census%20-%20Volume%20VIII%20-%20Part%20I%20AUSTRALIA%20Characteristics%20of%20Population.pdf&2107.0&Publication&5DAB2B0940E0F583CA257879001B0B86&&1961&30.06.1961&Latest> pp. 136. xv ibid. pp. 132.

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Bibliography Primary Resources Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of the Commonwealth of Australia, 30th June 1961: Part 1. Analysis of population in Local Areas and in Non-Municipal Towns of 1,000 Persons or more, (1963), cat. No. 2107.0, <http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/free.nsf/log?openagent&1961%20Census%20-%20Volume%20II%20-%20Part%20I%20VICTORIA% 20Analysis%20o f%20Population%20in%20LGA.pdf&2107.0&Publication&38AF442D361E193BCA25787900175504&&1961&30.06.1961&Latest>. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of the Commonwealth of Australia, 30th June 1961: Part II. Cross Classifications of the Characteristics of the population, (1965), cat. No. 2107.0, <http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/free.nsf/log?openagent&1961%20Census%20-%20Volume%20VIII%20-%20Part%20I%20AUSTRALIA%20Characteristics%20of%20Population.pdf&2107.0&Publication&5DAB2B0940E0F583CA257879001B0B86&&1961&30.06.1961&Latest>. ‘Migration target was exceeded,’ Good Neighbour, 1 October 1955, pp. 5, in Trove [online database], accessed 20th September 2015. National Archives of Australia: Italian/Soldatic Gaetana; B78, 5919813, <http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=5919813&T=PDF> accessed 28th September 2015. Images Good Neighbour, Migration target was exceeded, [image], (1 October 1955), <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page20744883 > accessed 20th September 2015.

Metropolitan Statistical Division of Melbourne [image], (1963), <http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/free.nsf/log?openagent&1961%20Census%20-%20Volume%20II%20-%20Part%20I%20VICTORIA% 20Analysis%20o f%20Population%20in%20LGA.pdf&2107.0&Publication&38AF442D361E193BCA25787900175504&&1961&30.06.1961&Latest>, pp. 102, accessed 10th October 2015. Terranova family photographs (1950’s), retrieved from Terranova family photo albums. Secondary Sources Crisp, LF, Federation Fathers, (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1990). Day, David, ‘The ‘White Australia’ Policy,’ in Bridge C & Attard B (eds.), Between Empire and Nation: Australia’s External Relations from Federation to the Second World War, (Kew: Australian scholarly Publishing, 2000), pp. 31-46. Kern, K ‘Immigration and the Integration Process,’ in Stoller, A (ed.), New Faces; Immigration and Family Life in Australia, (Melbourne: F.W. Chesire, 1966). Murphy, B, The Other Australia – Experiences of Migration, (NSW: Cambridge University Press, 1993). Tavan, G, The long, slow death of White Australia, (Melbourne: Scribe Publications, 2005).