Context for migration flows: 1945–1980

This chapter outlines the social, economic, and policy climate that shaped the decisions and experiences of migrants arriving in Australia from Ireland in the decades following WWII to the end of the 1970s. It covers an era in Australia’s history that spans its White Australia Policy and the assisted passage schemes that sought to build its post-war population, through to Australia becoming increasingly multicultural, opening its borders not only to skilled permanent migrants but also to temporary migrants through the introduction of the Working Holiday Maker visa, a scheme embraced by Ireland’s immigrants. This was a period of major fluctuation in the Irish Republic as it alternated through periods of economic recession and recovery, with high levels of unemployment and emigration followed by net immigration, respectively, all of which affected its economy and society. Northern Ireland entered a time of increased political unrest, violence, and sectarian conflict, which was accompanied by growing anti-Irish sentiment following IRA bombings in Britain, the primary destination for Ireland’s migrants at the time. Globally, major technological changes that gradually resulted in marked improvements in transportation (planes vs. boats) and communication (phones vs. letters) provided migrants with greater opportunities to travel to and from Australia and maintain contact with Ireland.