---
node: au_white_australia
type: event
slug: white_australia_policy
title: "White Australia Policy"
lead: "A set of policies, beginning with the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901, that effectively excluded non-European immigrants and was fully dismantled by 1973."
published: 2026-07-15
updated: 2026-07-15
---

## What happened

Just after Federation, in 1901, the new parliament passed the Immigration Restriction Act. By imposing a dictation test in a European language, it effectively kept out non-European immigrants.

## Background

The policy was backed by almost every party, rooted in hostility to Asian immigrants during the gold rushes and pressure from trade unions, and long served as a basic principle of Australian society.

## Consequences

After the Second World War immigration policy was eased in stages, changed markedly from 1966, and by 1973 all race-based restrictions were fully removed, as Australia turned toward multiculturalism.