Assisted Passage Migration

Australia, a country of British colonisation, is, in the modern day, considered a multicultural land which has been heavily influenced by immigrants. Following the two decades post-World War II, Australia’s economy and British orientated culture varied greatly due to many waves of migrations, especially that of Italians, who ventured for a better life and new opportunities, which worked in favour for Australia. Lifestyle skills, values and knowledge, especially regarding agriculture, that the citizens of mainly southern, Italy possessed, were of importance and worth to the Australian Government after World War II in the 1900s as it would assist with expansion and improvement plans whilst remaining within policies and beliefs. It is seen through
media publications, stories, images and history that the influence of Italian migrants would significantly benefit Australia as a nation.
With the war ceasing in 1945 and the fear of a Japanese invasion still heavy on the country’s mind, Prime Minister Arthur Calwell promoted the ‘Populate or Perish’ scheme resulting in a rapid post war population growth with 200,000 migrants by 1950 .
According to the plan, a 2 percent population increase every year, with 1 percent (75,000 people) being migrants , would bolster economic expansion, increase product demand and provide labourers for growing industries whilst repairing the neglected infrastructure through various building plans. The opportunity for the assisted passage and guaranteed two-year employment deal, which was established by the Australian Government to execute the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, partnered with economic downturn in Southern Italy, low employment rates, political unrest and their communities literally destroyed, as Lucia from Southern Italy confirms ‘where we lived … the war destroyed everything – our house and our farm ,’ easily persuaded the Italian migration wave to begin as ‘we (Italians) had to start
again.’
Initially, the Italians suffered through harsh conditions and treatments by Australian’s due to their relationships in the war. With the Italian alliance to Germany during World War II and Australia’s reaction by labelling the people of Italian nationality ‘enemy aliens ,’ and detaining them in detention camps, it is an astonishment that the Italians, after such abuse, discrimination and limitations, would live harmoniously and that Australia would encourage their migration. Vincenzo Tomaino, an Italian migrant during 1948, stated ‘the people and country welcomed us (Italians) with open arms and open heart. This place was the best for me in the whole world, ’ which displays how accepting Australia and the nature of their relationship.
Despite the initial fear of job insecurity for Australians, as 30 percent of Australian men were unemployed during 1932 , the two nationalities lived congenially in a beneficial society post World War II. A few foreigners felt negatively about the people and lifestyle. Being called the demeaning nickname ‘dagos’ only encouraged Angelina De Rossi’s, Italian wife to Angelo who migrated shortly after WWII, thoughts that ‘if we (Angelina and her Italian husband) had gotten money, we go back ,’ this being evidence of their negative feelings and experiences in the short time following their migration. As times changed and acceptance blossomed, Angelina admitted ‘I felt happier,’ displaying that long term, once settled, they experienced peace, contentment and happiness in Australia. The second generation and wave who were sponsored and looked after by settled migrants, found integrating and adapting easier and didn’t isolate with previously established communities, but ventured into other geographic areas .
Whilst there were fears of job insecurities, it is seen that Australia possessed a stable economy which, with the migrants, would further expand and grow, advantaging the nation.
Considering Captain Cook guided the first fleet onto Australia’s shores less than a century before the flooding wave of migrants, the economy was limited and based primarily on wheat, beef and wool production. The Italian’s strong work ethic, determination and need for jobs made them great candidates for laborious work; such as building infrastructure, factories, and the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme which is the largest engineering project ever undertaken in Australia . Through expansions, access to roads and various modes of transport, constructed by Italian migrants, the market opened wider for the industries, bettering the economy and improving Australian’s lifestyle . With transport options, partnerships and trading agreements, within national boarders and internationally, increased which then allowed the nation’s profit to escalate. Expanding industries and additional trading, factories were a necessity to continue Australia’s economic boom and the Italian work force played a large role in the design and construction of the industrial buildings, which would supply more employment opportunities. The Snowy Mountain Scheme, a significant symbol of Australia as a resourceful country and economic growth during the 20th century, supplies a vital amount of water to the farming industries of
New South Wales and Victoria, and it also produces up to 10 percent of all electricity needs for New South Wales . This monumental construction, which consisted of 70 percent of the work force being migrants , initiated by Prime Minister Ben Chifley in 1949, was a very large factor that allowed the growth of the economy that was built using a large proportion of the Italian migration wave.
The large mass of Italian migrants originating mainly from Mezzogiorno (southern regions of Italy) proved, also, very beneficial as the people had supported themselves through agricultural activities and were very successful farmers in their nation. This skill for growing various foods and their ability to adapt to new plants and growing conditions was a significant skill for the growth of the economy as it supplied large employment availability and the expansion of new sectors of the agriculture industry providing new exporting deals. Setting in rural areas, especially of New South Wales, Italian families continued with traditional farming techniques from South Italy despite wine being thought of as a foreign beverage . Wineries of such large scale assisted the economy through employing local inhabitants, sponsoring relatives or paesani to migrate, therefore increasing product demand allowing for new industry growth and exportation opportunities. Despite growing culturally normal food, the foreigners didn’t shy from venturing into new areas. The Italian sugar cane farms, starting primarily around 1955 , were so successful that there was a period of time when Australian Worker’s Union refused to handle ‘Italian grown’ sugar as to try limit the immigrant’s success until they saw the advantages; economically and other wise. Hinchinbrook Shire of north Queensland is a region centred around the Italian community which formed the strong sugar cane industry in that district allowing of substantial economic gain . By five years following the cease of the war, the Italian families had revived the tobacco industry, owning 75 percent by 1950 which had a very positive income for Australia’s economy. As a result of the foreigner’s lifestyle whilst living in the lower regions of Italy, mainly Sicily, Calabria and Veneto, many of the 42,000 Italian assisted passengers between 1951 to 1968 and other Italians migrants continued to grow gardens of fruit, vegetables and flowers, consisting of garlic, zucchinis, capsicums and other various plants . Their plentiful back yard hobby allowed these women to filter into the markets and are a fundamental reason the markets grew, becoming successful and changing the nation’s diet creating a consumer demand for new foods. Italy’s passion for these fresh foods was the inspiration to open many businesses which possessed a large consumer market, benefiting the nation’s economy; just another positive effect of the Italian wave of migration.
Their benefits to the nation didn’t stop with agriculture and industrial advances, but also extended to cultural aspects too. Originally invited for the purpose of populating and repairing Australia, there was ‘visible luggage’ the Italian wave of migration would bring. This luggage included food and fashion but the invisible luggage were the values, language and customs which have significantly influenced and altered the nation’s culture for the better.
Values and customs are heavily engrained into the Italian citizens, and the families of Italian origin were known for valuing close knit relationships, primarily based on loyalty, love and commitment, with family in the early 1900s having an upwards of five children . Respect for people’s status of age is very prominent with the elders being highly respected and taken care of by their united family. Trust is a necessity in Italy, especially as people are so close and they value their friend’s and family’s opinions highly. These traits can be found as more prominent in Australia’s society following the wave of Italian immigrants. This value was incorporated into Australia’s way of life, just as the Italian’s appreciation for dining out was too which can be seen with the expansion and increase of Italian businesses such as shops, fresh food markets, coffee bars and restaurants in the 1960s . The cultural influence expanded past values and included their passion for food.
Italy is well known for pasta so it is expected Australia’s would incorporate this, what became frequently eaten with the migration of Italians, meal and would become the ‘adopted national dish .’ OSLO’s cartoon from 1955 clearly depicts the new found addiction the Australians have for the exciting cuisine, especially spaghetti bolognaise, comparing it to the traditional mash and bangers (sausages), and contemplating eating out which is Italy’s influence as well. Southern Italy is renowned for its fresh food, changing with the seasons, which this lifestyle was passed on, starting the multiculturalism of Australia. Nuts, plums, apples, grapes, figs, egg plants, salami and more have been fused into the originally ‘boring cuisine.’ It was ‘hard to believe that garlic was once an unknown and highly suspicious food, that olive oil was only available from chemists in small bottles for medicinal purposes,…that pasta wasn’t a familiar dish, that wine was considered a foreign beverage,..that tea was more popular than coffee .’ The Italians soon altered this by encouraging their passion for coffee, especially espresso, which the country soon took on as their own and enjoyed immensely. Wines, such as Barbera, Sangiovese and Lagrein (all Italian red wines), are now enjoyed frequently by Australians and are no longer considered ‘foreign.’ Olive oil is now recognised for having great cooking purposes, especially frying, and is now grown and sold specifically for cooking’ medicinal purposes have drastically decreased. During the 1960s and 70s, many Italian foods became widely available. The Italian community, with their love, knowledge and skill for all things food, has had a major influence on the Australian culture, just as the European fashion has.
In the 21st century, Italy is considered a leading fashion capital and this, too, was the case during the 1900s. The Australian Home Journal, a Sydney based fashion magazine which was established 1894, allowed the women of Australia to see what they considered the latest trends, but there was a visible change and improvement due to the Italian’s contribution. Beauty is highly valued in Italy as people are judged according to appearance as it also indicates social status. An early edition of the Australian Home Journal has ‘fancy’, high society women with short hair wearing ill-fitting, knee length dresses or skirts and conservative blouses. This is supported by the Australian Home Budget cover page which includes both ladies and girls with knee length or longer clothes in basic colour schemes whilst still remaining shapeless. An image of three Italian boys dressed in suits during 1930 allow for an understanding that Italy’s clothing was well tailored, form fitting and had various materials in bright colours and patterns. Post war migration, the same magazine included models with much more ladylike, vibrant clothing which have an obvious Italian cultural aspect. In the 1952 and ’53 edition , the child’s clothing was more revealing which suited the climate, bright colours and various patterns were used in the short sleeved, feminine formfitting dresses and the once short, felt-hat covered hair is shown as longer with a low, stylish haircut with a significant European appearance. This fashion change is due to designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli, an Italian famous for the wrap dress design, which, with the ‘nipped’ waistline had a more womanly cut and design. This new influence disregarded the 1930s boyish figures with unflattering bust lines which Australia previously possessed. This obvious influence from the Italian community positively affected Australia’s fashion and culture.
The masses of Italian migrants following 1945 heavily impacted many aspects of the Australian society and economy. This national improvement of fashion and culture was due to the wave of Italian migrants in the years following the conclusion of World War II. This group of people had a major influence on improving Australia’s economy, through both person businesses and governmental schemes, as well as altering the nation’s society. ‘Their (Italian’s) contribution made life increasingly interesting…pains me to remember the chronic boredom of predominately Anglo-Saxon (community),’ displays how the energetic Italian society has had an emotionally positive impact on the nation. Despite this encouraged migration group being ‘expected to accept Australian way of life,’ the Italian’s kept their culture and lifestyle whilst integrating into society and being generally accepted by Australians. Partnered with the ‘populate or perish’ scheme, Australia’s embarking on industrialism and expansion was deemed successful and the hard working Italian migrants, who came by the Assisted Passage Scheme and self-organised migration, played a significant role and they, along with their contributions, are encouraged and welcomed by Australians.