Refugees and migration

The accelerating exodus of refugees from Indo-China became a major policy issue for the
Government. By July departures from Vietnam were running at 50,000 per month, while
many Kampucheans were trying to enter Thailand. Only 2,000 refugees had actually
managed to reach Australia by boat since 1975, but it was feared that ASEAN countries
would start turning boats away and they would continue to Australia. Cabinet was warned
that if the refugee problem got out of control ‘it would impose very serious strains on the
unity and character of Australian society’. It could also cause a head-on collision between
domestic public opinion and Australia’s foreign policy interests and remain a dominant
political issue for the remainder of the century. With the possibility of at least a million more
people leaving Vietnam the crisis was far beyond solution by resettlement alone. The only
realistic option was to apply intense international pressure on Vietnam to stop actively
encouraging the departure of people that the regime disliked.

Cabinet agreed to increase Australia’s Indo-Chinese refugee intake to 14,400 for 1979–80, in
part because to do any less might turn international opinion against us. Discreet contingency
planning would be undertaken to handle an influx of direct refugee arrivals, including using
the Darwin quarantine station as a holding centre (Memorandum 380; also Submission 3327
and Decision 9149, not printed here). Cabinet had already agreed on 7 June to the drafting of
legislation to allow the prosecution of the owners and crews of boats bringing refugees into
Australian waters (Submission 3200; Decision 8905, not printed here). .

In anticipation of refugee issues being raised at the Commonwealth Heads of Government

Meeting in Lusaka, Cabinet endorsed a confidential statement of Australia’s policy. The
statement argued that Australia had to strike a difficult balance between humanitarian
obligations and her capacity to absorb refugees. This was complicated by the erroneous view
that Australia was a country of limitless space and potential and the fact that some refugees
lacked the personal characteristics and qualifications expected of other migrants. The best
solution to the refugee problem was to address the problems in countries of origin that were
driving people to become refugees, although this was far from easy (Submission 3311; also
Decision 9157(FAD), not printed here).

The refugee issue influenced migration policy generally. Cabinet decided on 20 August to
maintain its migration target of a net annual gain of 70,000 migrants. Immigration Minister
Michael MacKellar told Cabinet that there were compelling reasons to encourage population
growth, despite economic constraints. The birth rate had fallen steadily since 1971 and was
now below replacement level. Overseas experience suggested that measures to increase
fertility were unlikely to succeed. There would be continued pressure for Australia to accept
more refugees, particularly from Indo-China and Eastern Europe, and the ‘significant public
disquiet’ about the scale of refugee migration could be borne more easily if it was seen to be
balanced by a substantial migration from ‘traditional’ sources (Submission 3396; also
Decision 9714, not printed here).

Selected documents

Memorandum 380, Indo-Chinese refugees 175

Submission 3200, Legislation against unauthorised boat arrivals 189

Submission 3311, Refugee issues for CHOGM 196

Submission 3396, Immigration Program 1978–79 and following program for 210
next triennium

174 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380, Indo-Chinese refugees
[A12390, 380]

175 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

176 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

177 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

178 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

179 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

180 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

181 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

182 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

183 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

184 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

185 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

186 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

187 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Memorandum 380 cont.

188 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3200, Legislation against unauthorised boat arrivals
[A12909, 3200]

189 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3200 cont.

190 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3200 cont.

191 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3200 cont.

192 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3200 cont.

193 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3200 cont.

194 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3200 cont.

195 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311, Refugee issues for CHOGM
[A12909, 3311]

196 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

197 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

198 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

199 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

200 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

201 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

202 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

203 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

204 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

205 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

206 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

207 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

208 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3311 cont.

209 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3396, Immigration program 1978–79 and following program for next
triennium
[A12909, 3396

210 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3396 cont.

211 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3396 cont.

212 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3396 cont.

213 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3396 cont.

214 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3396 cont.

215 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS

Submission 3396 cont.

216 1979 CABINET RECORDS – SELECTED DOCUMENTS