The White Australia policy was effectively introduced in 1901 , when the new Australian federal parliament passed the Immigration Restriction Act 1901 , which came into force on 23 December 1901 and became the core legal basis of the policy.

Quick Scoop

  • The phrase “White Australia policy” refers to a bundle of immigration laws and practices aimed at keeping Australia predominantly white and European.
  • It was formally codified in 1901 with the Immigration Restriction Act, one of the very first laws passed after Australia’s Federation.
  • The Act used tools like an arbitrary “dictation test” in a European language to exclude non‑white migrants while appearing neutral on paper.
  • Its influence stretched for decades, shaping who could settle in Australia until it was dismantled in stages in the 1960s and 1970s.

A Little More Context

When Australia federated on 1 January 1901, one of the new parliament’s earliest priorities was to legislate for a “white” nation. The Immigration Restriction Act 1901, passed that year and coming into operation on 23 December, is widely seen as the moment the White Australia policy was formally established. Although earlier colonial laws had already targeted Chinese and other non‑European migrants, this 1901 Act unified and strengthened such controls at the national level.

Politicians of the time were quite explicit that the goal was to exclude non‑white migrants, even if the law’s wording avoided overt racial labels by relying on tests and bureaucratic discretion. An example often cited is the dictation test in a European language, which could be administered in any language officials chose, effectively ensuring that unwanted applicants would fail. This framework then shaped immigration policy for roughly the next 70 years, until successive reforms in the 1960s and early 1970s dismantled it and Australia moved toward an official policy of multiculturalism.

Timeline Snapshot (White Australia Policy)

[3][5][9][1] [1][3] [9][3][1] [3][9][1] [2][9][3]
Year Key development
1901 Immigration Restriction Act passed as one of the first laws of the new Commonwealth, establishing the legal core of the White Australia policy.
23 Dec 1901 Act comes into force; non‑British and non‑European migration is heavily restricted.
Post‑1945 Gradual erosion begins as some non‑British European and then broader groups are admitted in controlled numbers.
1960s Key reforms reduce overt racial discrimination in immigration selection.
Early 1970s Policy is formally ended; government explicitly renounces White Australia and removes remaining legal traces.
**TL;DR:** The White Australia policy was introduced in **1901** , with the Immigration Restriction Act 1901 serving as its cornerstone and coming into effect on **23 December 1901**.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.