Australia's relations have changed over the past half century. From The White Australia Policy and the Immigration Restriction act. Some changes include the multiculturalism, changing links with Indonesia, china, and Asia in general.
After the WWII Australia's relations with Asia changed rapidly. During the war Japan swept through South-East Asia. The British were defeated in Malaya, Borneo, Singapore and Burma. The French fell in Indochina, the Dutch fell the in the East Indies, and the Americans lost power over the Philippines. This was a tremendous blow the western colonial powers. The Japanese success at the start of World War II encouraged Asian nationalism. There were nationalist movements in British India led by Gandhi, in the Ditch East Indies led by Sukarno and in French Indochina by Ho Chi Minh. These nationalist movements which had begun at the start of the twentieth century were struggling for a simple but powerful goal - to rid their countries of European control and to become free and independent nations.
Australian Coat of Arms (adopted 1912)
Dutch Consul-General Teppema, Madame Teppema and R...
English: Migrant Arrivals in Australia - 50,000th ...After the war the Chifley labor government (1945-49) supported Asian nationalism. This was one of the first changes of Australia's relation to Asia because traditionally Australia had always supported the European presence in Asia.
Then end of the Vietnam war in 1972 marked the start of a new relationship between Australia and Asia. The white Australia policy that had discriminated against Asian people since 1901 was abolished and Australia began to accept Asian migrants and political refugees. Australian governments from 1972 recognised that Australia was a vital part of the Asian region , that there were enormous trade opportunities and that the links to Britain were declining. Australia forged new relationships with old foes such as China and with the new Asian states, which were modernising and developing their economies.
Australia's relationship with Indonesia started...