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Australia's sense of vulnerability during World War 2 lead to calls for Australia to 'populate or perish'. During World War II thousands of Italian men and women were interned in ‘camps' around Australia, some for the duration of the entire war. These people consisted of 'enemy aliens' (especially Germans and Italians), naturalised and Australian born persons of enemy alien descent, enemy aliens arrested overseas and transferred to Australia, and prisoners of war transferred to Australia.
After the war, in the 1950s, additional immigrants arrived under an immigration agreement between the two governments and with the International Refugee Organisation to encourage migration, including displaced people from war-torn Europe. This was to build a population and economy capable of defending itself in future wars. This policy was widely supported in the community and championed by A.A. Calwell, Minister for Immigration in the post-war years who wrote:
Additional population is Australia's greatest need, for security in wartime, for full development and prosperity in peacetime, our vital need is more Australians. The Pacific war taught Australians a lesson we must never forget - that in any future war we can never hope to hold our country unaided aganist a powerful invader... Australia can increase her population three-fold or more and still provide full employment and adequate standards of living for all. (Calwell 1948)
These early Italian and Greek migrants had to face the challenges of social integration into the Anglo-Australian world. Anglo-Australians, on the other hand, feared that their up-to-then Aussie way of life would be threatened by the newcomers – who they called “dagos”, “wogs” and “Ities”.
Australia provided fare assistance for foreign workers willing to work in selected jobs for example, in the cane fields or on the Snowy Mountain hydro-electric scheme. Many of the new arrivals settled in metropolitan and industrial centres, finding employment in the building, construction and other heavy industries. Others were assisted in finding accommodation and jobs by earlier immigrants from their village or district in Italy.
Nowadays most Greeks and Italians have maintained their cultural heritage without segrgating themselves from the Australian community, which is now much more accepting of immigrants and foreigners. Many have established succesful buinesses and created their home environment in Australia adding to the country's rich cultural diversity.
Italians learn English in the 50's
An Italian Store with Storeowner
An English Class for Italians Today
