Among the most profound changes in Australia over the past half century has been the evolution in public policy from the White Australia Policy to a non-discriminatory immigration policy, with the parallel transition from assimilation to integration and then to multiculturalism
在過(guò)去的半個(gè)世紀(jì)里，澳大利亞發(fā)生的最深遠(yuǎn)的變化要數(shù)公共政策的變化-從白澳大利亞政策到非歧視性移民政策，與之相并行的是從同化到融合，然后再到多元文化。

Assimilation 同化

The policy of assimilation spans the period up to the mid 1960s and was based on a belief in the benefits of homogeneity and a vision of Australia as a racially pure white nation.
同化政策涵蓋的期間跨度為19世紀(jì)60年代中期。這一政策基于一種觀念：同質(zhì)性是有益的以及澳大利亞作為一個(gè)種族純凈的白色國(guó)度的愿景。
The policy effectively excluded non-European immigration. The preference over most of this period was for British migrants.
這一政策有效地把非歐洲移民排斥在外，而且在大部分時(shí)期，英國(guó)移民是優(yōu)先的。
However, as Australia’s demand for migrants grew beyond the supply from Britain, other Europeans were accepted on the understanding that they would shed their cultures and languages and be assimilated into the host population so that they would rapidly become indistinguishable from it.
By the late 1950s, however, the then Minister for Immigration (Alexander Downer Snr) was prepared to acknowledge that, even though the preference for British migrants remained, 'Australia has received enormous benefits from the several hundred thousand migrants who have come here from Western Europe.
Indeed, without them we could never have achieved so much in so little time’.
Mr Downer was talking of the Snowy Mountains scheme, expansion of the steel and manufacturing industries and other sectors of the economy as the areas in which Australia had benefited from migrants from Western Europe.
He also acknowledged the 'precious infusion of ideas from the Continent’ and 'new ways of living’.
While there were still concerns about the homogeneity of Australian society, Minister Downer’s comments reflect an open appreciation of the positive contribution of people from a wider range of backgrounds.
During this period existing social structures, such as welfare, education, labour market and legal institutions, were not adapted to meet the needs of newly arriving migrants.
From 1947, however, migrants were taught English at public expense, under the Adult Migrant Education (now English) Program, and the Immigration Department employed professional social workers from the 1950s until the 1980s.
The policy of assimilation also dominated the treatment of our indigenous population, the forceful adoption of indigenous children into white Australian families being just one example of assimilationist thinking.

Integration 融合

The policy of integration represented a transitional phase from the policy of assimilation, which sought to impose a cultural uniformity on the Australian people based on the existing dominant culture, to the policy of multiculturalism, which acknowledges that cultural diversity is not only acceptable but a positive force for Australia.
Integration is not synonymous with assimilation. Assimilation implies almost total absorption into another linguistic and cultural group - an assimilated individual gives up his or her cultural identity.
Integration, in the broad sense, does not imply minority cultures giving way totally to a dominant culture.
Instead, they influence the dominant culture which is modified to some extent by the newer cultures. Integration, however, does not encourage ongoing cultural diversity – everyone is expected to adopt the integrated culture.
In March 1966, following a comprehensive review of policy regarding the migration of non-Europeans, the Government effectively ended the White Australia Policy by allowing the admission of well-qualified people from Asia (albeit in small numbers).
It also relaxed the criteria by which lawful residents in Australia, including non-Europeans, could qualify for Australian Citizenship.
Soon after announcing these changes, Immigration Minister Hubert Opperman said that the primary aim of Australia’s immigration policy 'is a constantly developing community which is generally integrated, substantially harmonious and usefully industrious.
Without prejudice to that primary aim, the policy and rules and procedures by which this aim is achieved cannot remain static and will be refined from time to time, as Australia grows and the world changes’.
The following speech made in February 1971 by the then Immigration Minister, Phillip Lynch, foreshadowed a further important shift in official policy.
While he maintained a substantially integrationist position speaking out against 'undigested minorities’, he also rejected 'mindless uniformity’ and advocated measures 'to preserve and strengthen the cultural heritage of newcomers’.
All our immigration and social policies are for our own decision in the light of our aims and response to our needs - as we assess them. They are now clearly and firmly based on the belief that all Australians want Australia to be an essentially cohesive society notable for political democracy, for the rule of law, for economic opportunity and social mobility, without self-perpetuating enclaves and undigested minorities.
By undigested minorities I mean substantial groups of ethnic origin very different from the host community; proud of that difference and determined to perpetuate it; seeking to discourage inter-marriage; desiring to have separate political representation; and ready to dispute the efforts of the national government to encourage integration.
At the same time I am not advocating mindless uniformity. No one wishes every Australian to conform to an identical pattern of life or culture. Most of us welcome variety in our developing national identity. The English language should be a common link used in primary and secondary education throughout the country whether in State or independent schools. But measures must also be taken to preserve and strengthen the cultural heritage of newcomers so as to enrich and develop the sensitivity of the resulting new community.
Although the final vestiges of the White Australia Policy were not eliminated until 1973, with the formal adoption of a non-discriminatory immigration policy, these statements represented an important shift, not just from the 'assimilation’ policy, but, although only partially, even from the 'integration’ model.
On the other hand, the statements also show how far we have come since in the acceptance and even celebration of cultural diversity, which the subsequent policy of multiculturalism represents.
Among other things, the integration policy began to acknowledge that large numbers of migrants, especially those whose first language was not English, were experiencing many hardships as they settled into life in Australia.
The highest priority was seen to be English language tuition (which had been provided since 1947) and labour market assistance, especially the recognition of overseas qualifications. Rather than introduce new or different programs, however, governments tended to look to ethnic organisations to assist the process of resettlement through self-help programs.
In July 1973 the Immigration Advisory Council’s Committee on Social Patterns presented its report to government on its Inquiry into the Departure of Settlers from Australia.
The Committee had been established in response to concerns that too many migrants were leaving Australia, thus undermining the purpose of our immigration program - and reflecting societal problems within Australia.
The report found that, over the previous ten years, 'there has been a steady drift away from each batch of settler arrivals such that nearly 22 per cent have left permanently by the end of the sixth year and nearly 28 per cent by the end of the tenth’.
The Committee found that, while 'departures generally result from a complex of factors ... many problems encountered by migrants cannot be seen separately from those of the community as a whole’.
The Committee recommended that 'remedial action should concentrate on migrants whose departure could be averted by government or community action rather than on the large proportion whose primary reason for leaving has nothing to do with dissatisfaction with Australia’.
The remedial action proposed by the Committee included the development of a range of settlement services.
It can be seen, then, that the decade from the mid 1960s is marked by an increasing awareness of the special needs of migrants and a growing recognition that a homogeneous society was neither possible or desirable.