Australia is not an immigrant country.

Many other politicians and lobby groups have perpetuated the myth that Australia is an immigrant nation. Unfortunately those who perpetuate this myth do not seem concerned about the people they exclude and insult by doing so. According to the 2006 census, 76% of the Australian population is native born and 92% has at least one parent who was born in Australia.

There are two groups significant to Australia’s history that are not covered by the label immigrant. The ancestors of the Australian Aboriginal people were not immigrants of the Australian nation. They migrated to a continent that was not yet known as Australia. They are the first people of this land, the original people of a land that was not then Australia.

While the history of the continent starts with the Aboriginal people the Australian nation began as penal colonies. Therefore, the history of the nation (as opposed to the land) starts with the convicts. It is a bit of a stretch to refer to convicts, who were brought here by force, as immigrants. The word ‘immigrant’ surely implies some degree of choice in the migration process. The convicts had no choice about coming to Australia.

Britain exiled around 160 000 convicts to Australia with an average age of 26. They created families at a time when large families were the norm. This multiplication over a period of 200 plus years, for the majority of which large families were the norm, surely created a significant number of Australians who are descendants of convicts and therefore non-immigrants.

This myth making also creates a false impression to those who live outside Australia that everyone in Australia has recently arrived from elsewhere. That is an insult not only to Australians who are descendant from the Aborigines and convicts but to all who are descendants of native born Australians or are themselves native born.

Our history, and therefore our country, is far too varied to be encompassed by any label. Why do we need a label, anyway? Isn’t the word ‘Australia’ enough

Dear Holy Moly,

"Good Golly ... Dear Molly..."

Australia has been built as a Nation by the contribution of migrants.

Before the 1950s it was a backwater of the world - that nobody knew anything about. Including the population itself - which was not sure
of its identity. We were all "British" you know. They even played
'God Save the Queen' when we won gold medals at the Olympics.
Did that show our 'Australian' identity?

Denying migrants is denying the growth, cultural development and rich diversity of this country -over the past sixty years - and its continuance by future contribution of migrants.

Many born in this country of migrant families identify with the culture and heritage of their ancestry be it Irish, Scottish, British,
Greek, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, et cetera. And by birth they are all Australians.

So what is the point of your argument about migrants? - apart from
the Aboriginal people and a few convicts - we're all descended from
migrants - that's the history of this Nation - as is the history of
America, Canada, New Zealand, and all of South America.

Holy Moly Foxy! You have replied to my post without even reading it!
I said nothing about denying the contribution of migrants to the growth and development of Australia, which has certainly been significant and valuable. We should remember however that Australia, with its infra structure, would not have been available for the migrants had it not been for the 160 000+ convicts and their descendants. The point I was making was that the term 'immigrant nation' excludes those of us who are convict and Aboriginal descendants.

If the term ‘immigrant nation’ is being used in the sense that everyone who ever came to a country from another place is an immigrant then the term could be applied to any country in the world, not just the few you mentioned. Yet here in Australia ‘immigrant nation’ is flown like a banner, apparently to give the impression that immigration is what separates Australia from other countries. In other words applying the term ‘immigrant nation’ to Australia is just another bit of myth making, or to be more accurate, bull dust. Unfortunately those who perpetuate this myth do not seem concerned about the people they exclude and insult by doing so.

"......That is an insult not only to Australians who are descendant from the Aborigines and convicts but to all who are descendants of native born Australians or are themselves native born.

Our history, and therefore our country, is far too varied to be encompassed by any label. Why do we need a label, anyway? Isn’t the word ‘Australia’ enough"
Posted by Holy Moly, Saturday, 12 April 2008 7:28:19 AM
______________________________

'.....all who are descendants of native born Australians..themselves native born'..

Excuse me??

So,- not only...Aboriginals/convicts...but the above..? Er...., which descendants did they come from then?..,or did they just pop out of the ground??

Australia is Australia IS "Australia"...what are YOU calling it?

Bulldust indeed.

Dear Holy Moly,

Are you one of the 'excluded and insulted ones?'

Join the Club - all the minions of immigrants have been made to feel that way for centuries - particularly in Australia.

In our history books you get, "The First Fleet arrived. It brought 1000 English convicts."

It didn't. It brought 1000 convicts but probably they came from a dozen different countries. As somebody put it so delightfully,
"English jails were no respecters of nationality."

The first Italians arrived on January 26, 1788 - Giuseppe Tuso. There were people from South Africa, there were people from Ceylon, from India, from Spain, from Portugal, from Hungary.

So people say, "Do you believe Australia should become a multi-racial society?" and I always reply, "It doesn't matter what I think, I can tell you what it is, which is a society of tremendous diversity."

Holy Moly,
It is not a myth. Its an obvious truth, depending on how far back your research goes.

If you go back far enough, we are supposed to have our beginnings in Africa.

Did you know that according to some linguists, certain aboriginal words in northern Aus are very similar to Arabic words, with similar meanings. This gives rise to the concept that Arab traders reached our shores in times past.

So some aboriginals may have some Arabic heritage.

The term " we are a nation of immigrants" is one that is usually used by those struggling to find counter argument to those advocating lowering the high immigration rate. It is usually accompanied by accusations of 'racism', 'xenophobia' and 'you hate migrants'. Being one who opposes high immigration, I have come across these terms often, even though my opposition is based on economic, enviromental and social grounds.

I always ignor the 'nation of immigrants' bit as it is like saying 'we are all humans'. Yes we are, but it is irrevelant, especially to a debate on immigration.