Argumentative Essay: The True Australian National Identity

The Australian identity has in fact a number of identities competing to be the true Australian national identity. The two main parts of this competition is the bush legend and the beach and suburbs. However it should not be thought that either of these parts is a completely set idea and image of Australia. This essay will argue that the Australian identity to a great extent is now based on ideas and images that relate to the beach and suburbs rather than the bush. Although it is important to know that the bush legend has not been wiped out totally and still exists. Multiculturalism is just one of the main factors in modifying the Australian identity from a rural to a more urban based landscape and way of life. This essay will begin by discussing
There are two main stories of multiculturalism in Australia. One is that of an Anglo Australian nation and one of an immigrant nation. First Australia only federated as a white British nation in 1901. Moran assertively states Australia's national identity has then shifted from a white based British Australia, to a diverse, multiethnic, and officially multicultural Australia since the 1970s. (p 2153-2172, 2011). The change of ethnicity through Australia has made drastic changes to the country. Firstly Elder (2007 P118) suggests between the 1900s and 1945 it was strongly felt that Australia could be a country of loyalty, instead of a prison. The idea had come to populate Australia with hard working people rather than convicts which was the case pre 1900s. After 1960 more immigrants were brought to Australia, countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Turkey, other non-British source countries and a small amount of Asians. Eventually Australia’s population grew, more immigrants entered Australia. From the arrival of the Europeans and people from other countries Australia has adapted a lot of different cultures and way of life through activities such as cooking, building, creating and accomplishing