As part of its election commitment, the Turnbull Coalition Government announced last Friday, 23 September, that it will roll out a new temporary sponsored parent visa. The new visa will permit parents to be sponsored by Australians and have them stay for five years. It will be rolled out in July 2017.
The plan was made on the heels of the Productivity Commission’s recommendation to either abolish the permanent visa for migrants’ parents or have the fee increased tremendously. Currently, temporary visa for parents only allow them to stay in the country for two years.
With the new plan, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Alex Hawke issued a succession of community consultations and encouraged public submissions to aid the Government in coming up with the final design of the new temporary visa and the legislative adjustments required to implement it.
Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Alex Hawke
(Image: theaustralian.com.au)
Hawke emphasized that the Turnbull Government “recognises that many Australian migrant communities face particular pressures through the separation of children from parents and grandchildren from grandparents.”
He also said that they aim to provide better channels for families to “reunite and spend time together” while guaranteeing that it must be achieved in a way that does not place strain on Australia's health care system.
"Improving arrangements for parents of Australians to spend time with their family in Australia, whilst mitigating costs to the Australian taxpayer was a key objective of both major parties at the recent election. It is now important we get this balance right in the design of the temporary sponsored parent visa," he added.
There are 190,000 places available for the immigration program last year, 14% of which belong to parents. (Image: Fotolia)
As part of this, one of the conditions being planned to impose for the visa grant is for the aged parents to obtain private health insurance and financial guarantee from their children in Australia. "If we are to have more aged parents who have come from overseas here with us visiting or staying, we have to ensure that our already overburdened health system is protected from extra cost," Hawke said.
Right now, there is an option available in place for parents to get a permanent visa. However, it has a waiting time of up to 30 years. While this can be expedited, it requires higher visa application charges for faster processing. The new option, on the other hand, will require only two years. And will be accessible to parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens once rolled out.
The current temporary visa for parents only allow them to stay in Australia for two years.
(Image: Fotolia)
With a robust 85 million tourists recorded last year, France is undoubtedly the most visited country on the planet. With the migration numbers increasing by 20% in the last seven years, we can say that its tourist attractions, high culture, and exquisite cuisines are their most effective advertisements for those thinking of settling down abroad.
But how is life in Europe’s most popular jewel compared to the Land Down Under? Let’s find out.
Doing business in France can be a bane and a boom, depending if you can survive the challenges or not.
With a 64 million-population with very good purchasing powers, France offers a large market and many opportunities. This market is completely open to competitions, so any new players are welcomed. Add to that the many qualified workforce capable of supporting your business. Also, the country has well-designed and efficient infrastructures that makes the transport of goods and products very dynamic.
On the other hand, there are obstacles. It takes a while and a lot of government procedures to go through to set up shop in France. These include dealing with permits (takes 5 to 6 months), having your business registered (it takes two months), and trading across borders (11 days before you import and nine to export), among others.
Also, tax rates can be burdensome, ranging from 14% in the lower threshold up to 45% for the highest earners. France used to levy a gargantuan 75% super tax to those who earn €1 million and above. But has been since lifted for being “unconstitutional”.
Like in France, setting up a business in Australia has its share also of perks and challenges.
Australia’s ties and access to Asia Pacific – one of the fastest growing regions in the world – makes it a viable place to start a market-based business. Add to that the stable political climate, the continuously thriving economy, exceptional infrastructures, and ever-growing and handpicked workforce from around the world (skilled immigration here is strictly regulated and made sure adheres to Australia’s standards).
And like in France, this can be arduous and lengthy. The process includes applying for an Australian Business Number (ABN); registering your business name; and processing the registrations, licenses, insurance, and taxes for your business, among others. Each process takes a while and involves a lot of effort.
(Check here for a complete information on how to set up a business in Australia.)
France’s well-structured economy relies mainly on the chemical and tourism industry (it is the most visited country in the world). Other sectors supporting it are energy, agriculture, and weapons industry.
France has a well laid-out employment and salary system. It guarantees a minimum hourly wage called the Salaire Minimum Interprofessionnel de Croissance or SMIC of €9.67 or AU$ 14.98 per hour. Annually, it would gross to €17,600 or AU$27,265. An employee cannot be paid lower than this amount. Companies are required to negotiate the annually regarding annual pays with employees each year.
The Temps de travail dictates the legal working hours of 35 hours. This is a fixed number and applies to all employees except those in sales services, executives, building care takers, domestic staffs, and other employees with special working conditions.
Australia’s federal structure allows it to focus on disparate economic sectors to support the country. These include manufacturing, agriculture, services, finance, tourism, media, education and the recently booming mining industry.
The country’s minimum wage stands at AU$17.29 per hour or AU$31,531 annually. As of February 2015, the largest employers are health care and social assistance, retail trade, construction, scientific and technical services, and the manufacturing industries.
Though the country enforces a 40-hour work week, the average working hour in Australia is lower at 32 hours per week. Like in France, this cannot be strictly applied to professions with special working conditions.
The French government and its agencies finance as high as 77% of the country’s health care expenditure. In 2011, approximately 12% of its GDP are spent on health care, a very high figure compared to how much each European countries spend on their health care.
Despite this, it is mandatory that all citizens pay insurance of which contribution is based on income. This system is generally financed through taxation. The health care service system is composed of a fully-consolidated network of public hospitals, private hospitals, doctors and other medical service providers with a robust 23,000 general practitioners in its disposal.
Australia’s health care system operates on a centralized level, and is administered by both private and government institutions. The state and territory governments manage aspects of health care within their jurisdictions, such as the operation of hospitals.
It is two-pronged. There is the private health system, and there is the Medicare. The latter is funded partly by a 2% Medicare levy (with exceptions for low-income earners), with the rest being supplied by government. An additional levy of 1% is imposed on high-income earners without private health insurance. Death rate from medical care in the country is reportedly one of the lowest in the English-speaking world. It is lower than that of the USA and UK.
To find out more about how Australia’s healthcare system works, check our blog here.
Looking for a place to stay in the country can be quite a staggering task, especially in the cities where the demand for rental accommodations is tremendous, which leads to high prices as well. As opposed to other European countries (where renting is a norm), only 40% of France’s population rent their home, and most of them located in cities and urban areas. The house-owners are generally in the rural places.
And since the country is dominantly owner-occupied, finding a place to rent can be a challenge. This lead the government to push through housing reforms like rental caps to provide accommodations to its citizens.
Unlike France, owning a house is yet to be a norm in Australia. Approximately 33% of residents here lives in a fully owned properties, 31.4% rents their home, while 35%of homes are mortgaged. Factors contributing here include the soaring house prices, as well as consideration of proximity to work (Australia is a huge country).
Expectedly, rents are cheaper in rural than urban areas. It’s also lower the further a property is from a large city or town, public transport or other facilities. The average rents are highest in Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin.
One of the busiest and densest in the world, France’s transport system is composed of 146 kilometers of road and 6.2 kilometers of rail lines per 100 square kilometers. Rail transport include the metros (rapid transit) which services six cities and the trams which runs on two dozen cities and towns. Despite the monopoly of railway transports, buses are also introduced to provide more conduits of getting around. Taxis also operate in the country.
A one way train ticket here costs AU$2.47, while a monthly pass is at around AU$95.51 Starting taxi tariff is AU$5.00 with AU$7.71 for the first one kilometer. A Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) will set you back AU$29,316. Gasoline is at AU$1.99 for every litter.
All of Australian cities have reliable, affordable public bus networks and train lines, plus taxis operate nationwide. These train lines include commuter rail networks, trams, light rails, and rapid transits. Despite this, driving is the most used mode of transport, and this number continues to rise. It is followed by train, walking (the country has a very good culture of walking), bus, and lastly, train.
Fares are pricier here compared to France. A one-way ticket sets you back by AU$4.00 while going for a monthly pass will increase it by AU$130.00. A kilometer ride of taxi is AU$2.17. If you want your own car, A Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (or any equivalent new car) will cost you AU$25,000.00 plus 1.32 AU$ for every litter of gasoline.
Four expansive climatic zones influence the weather patterns in France. West of the line Bayonne-Lille is in the humid seaboard zone with cooler summers. Alsace-Lorraine along the Rhodanian corridor and the mountainous massifs (Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central) are in the semi-continental zone with intense winters and tropical summers. While Paris and the central region are in the intermediate zone with cold winters and hot summers in the North. And south of France is in the Mediterranean zone with mellow winters and quite hot summers.
The Land Down Under experiences an assortment of climates also due to its size. It can range from severely hot in the Kimberley region in the north-west of the continent to below zero in the Snowy Mountains in the south. And due to its size, there just can’t be one seasonal calendar for the whole continent.
The seasons will vary depending upon where in the continent you are each month, whether the weather is defined by the Temperate zone seasons or the tropical seasons. To find out more what is the climate and weather patterns in each of the states in the country, check our blog here.
Advantages of becoming a French Citizen include:
Advantages of Australian Citizenship include:
For a more detailed information about these benefits, check our blog here.
In terms of economy, both France and Australia are structurally sound, so the benefits of finding a job and there overruns the risks in the long run. Both nations are also hot beds for brave entrepreneurs and business owners looking to start or expand their trade. The tasks required for starting are laborious and time-consuming, but pays off due to both country’s expansive market and efficient workforce.
Also, both countries bathe in a Mediterranean climate, mostly warmer than most of United Kingdom. And they sport slow and laidback lifestyles, perfect when you want a good work-life balance and/or raising a family. Also, both counties enjoy very low crime rates.
The difference though lies in those little details, albeit having huge impacts to the day-to-day life.
If you appreciate European culture, appreciates French cuisine, and loves to see beautiful places within a few hours of travel, then France is the better pick. Also, the French are fashion-inclined people, what with their annual Fashion weeks and multilayer clothing. France society and culture has also the propensity to operate on strict protocols, as everything should be done “the French way.”
Australia, on the other hand is an assimilation of European, American, and aboriginal influences, in culture, food, and lifestyle. It is also packed with must see places, both natural and man-made, but traveling takes an effort since it’s a huge country. Aussies inclined more on function than fashion, except in business, in which they seriously follow rules. Social protocols in Australia are a bit more lax than in France, but there a range of etiquettes to abide, especially when it comes to mateship.
UPDATE: This article was updated on May 12, 2017.
Germany and Australia are both included in the list of countries where people prefer to live and work. We compared the two based on the categories that you would need to consider when moving to another country. Find out which country suits your desired lifestyle.
Germany’s economy runs on a social market system, meaning it relies on free trade and capitalism as balanced by social policies to regulate the competition. Its economic sectors include services, construction, industry, agriculture, forestry, and mining. The economy is characterized by highly qualified labour force and a developed infrastructure. It is currently enjoying a very low unemployment rate of 3.9%.
Working culture here is quite rigid, and may or may not include the after-work or Friday drinking/socializing that is the norm in Australia, UK, or US. On the upside, a good work-life balance is experienced by employees in Germany, as a result of their average working time at 35 hours per week.
Much like Germany, Australia’s economy is primarily driven by its service sector, comprising 65% of its GDP. Other sectors (and biggest employers) include mining, manufacturing, agriculture, finance, tourism, media, education, and logistics. Unemployment here is higher by a small margin at 5.9%, but still very low in overall scale.
Compared to Germany, the working culture here is quite the opposite. Socializing while on work is okay and doing it after office hours is encouraged. At a maximum of 38 working hours per week, it is higher than the 35-hour average weekly working hours in Germany.
Germans generally can’t be bothered to buy a house. Despite the well-oiled economic machinery, it still sports the lowest home-ownership population in the developed world at 51.90% as of 2016. The renting sector is highly regulated and monitored by the government which resulted to policies and prices very much favourable to the renters.
Owning a house has always been the Australian dream, but it is yet to be the norm. Approximately, 31% of residents here live in fully-owned properties, 28.7% rent their home, while 33.3% of homes are mortgaged. The contributing factors to this situation include the soaring house prices, as well as consideration of proximity to work (Australia is a huge country).
Germany has a very efficient transport system which is logical for a country whose economy relies on equally efficient workers getting to and from their work during the week. The public transport not only services big cities, but reaches the small towns as well. Scheduling, ticket fees, and discount details can be found in official websites, thus increasing access by the commuters.
Modes of transportation mainly include the U-Bahn (subway/underground), S-Bahn (suburban commuter rail), Straßenbahn (streetcar), Trambahn (tram), Stadtbahn (light rail), buses, and taxis.
A one-way train ticket here costs AU$4.14, while a monthly pass is at around AU$108.53. Starting taxi tariff is AU$5.43 with also AU$2.95 for the first one kilometre. A Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) will set you back AU$29,623. Gasoline is at AU$2.11 for every litter.
Like Germany, Australia also has a good public transport system. However, driving is the most used mode of transport in the country, and this number continues to rise. It is followed by train, walking (the country has a very good culture of walking), and then bus. All Australian cities have reliable, affordable public bus networks and train lines, while taxis also operate nationwide. These train lines include commuter rail networks, trams, light rails, and rapid transits.
Fares are less expensive here compared to Germany. A one-way ticket sets you back by AU$3.93, while going for a monthly pass will increase it by AU$130.00. A kilometre ride of taxi is AU$.2.17. If you want your own car, a Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (or any equivalent new car) will cost you AU$25,040 and AU$1.31 for every litre of gasoline.
Dining etiquettes and practices here is different compared to what the rest of the world is doing.
Upon entering a restaurant, you don’t wait to be seated, you find a table and be seated (unless a sign tells you to wait). Sitting with strangers is quite a norm especially in pubs and bars where long tables can usually be found. Just politely ignore the other person and go on with your meal or drink.
Most restaurants don’t serve water immediately and free bread rolls and butter are very rare. Most restaurants do not accept credit card payments, so be on the lookout for any Visa or MasterCard logos before entering if you won’t be paying in cash.
Like Germany, Australia has its share of dining practices.
For instance, business discussions over a non-business dinner is not encouraged. Heading straight to business talk on a lunch/dinner meeting is also frowned upon.
When going for an exclusive restaurant, you are expected to make reservations first and confirm. In an informal joint, you might be expected to share a table. Be open to conversations when invited. Australians are not known to decline a friendly chat.
Dinning etiquette here dictates that the one who does the inviting settles the bill, although the guest is expected to make an effort to pay.
German health care is a two-pronged, multi-payer health care system consisting of Statutory Health Insurance and Private Health Insurance. It is compulsory for the whole population in Germany.
Employees earning below a specific income are automatically enlisted at the Statutory Health Insurance at common rates for all members, and is settled through a joint employer-employee contribution.
Medicare, the Australian government’s universal public health insurance scheme, provides residents with free treatment as a public patient in a public hospital and free or subsidized treatment for optometrist, dental care, and psychology services, as well as treatment by doctors.
The extent to which the health care system is used is adjustable among Australian citizens, overseas visitors, and temporary and permanent visa holders. Their needs, entitlements, and expectations are influenced by many components such as the nature and degree of their health status, age, gender, location, and cultural background.
Check here to know more about the Australian public health care system.
Germany’s size make its climate vary across different areas, but it is temperate overall. Winter months can be freezing in the west and well below freezing in the east of the country.
The weather conditions can differ throughout the day, though may not as erratic as Australia, so be sure to bring along sweater and a jacket to shield against the cold and rain.
Given this, extreme temperatures are a rare occurrence.
Central and Southern Hills temperature is quite constant with continental influences, while Baltic Coast and North German Plain has little variability due to the influence of the sea. While Bavarian Alp’s winters can be cold with frequent snowfalls.
Due to its enormous size, Australia goes through differing climates in various areas. This is reflected in the severely hot climate of the Kimberley region in the north-west of the continent and the below zero temperature of the Snowy Mountains in the south. Due to expansive land area, there is not one one seasonal calendar that covers the whole continent.
Depending upon where you are in the continent at a certain month, the seasons may vary.
To find out more about the climate and weather patterns in each of the states in the country, check our blog here.
Advantages of German Citizenship include:
Advantages of Australian Citizenship include:
For a more detailed information about these benefits, check our blog here.
Germany and Australia are both economic titans capable of supporting its people, immigrants and citizens alike, through their high employment rates, massive job opportunities, health benefits, affordable housing options, and efficient public transport. It all boils down to a matter of preference of which lifestyle you are wanting to adapt.
If you don’t mind the language barrier, can survive the rigorous office culture and appreciate short working hours, then Germany is for you. The temperate climate and the consistency of the weather in most areas is also a tremendous help.
Australia, on the other hand, is perfect for you if if you are extremely sociable, used to tropical climates, love walking, appreciate occasional chats at the office and drinking out after work. Although, you would have to endure the varying weather conditions.
UPDATE: This article was updated on May 10, 2017.
Switzerland made news in the financial world when it announced that it was considering giving each adult citizen 2,500 Swiss francs (approximately 3,400 Australian dollars) monthly after-tax, working or not, as part of its incoming referendum. This will be the first time a minimum wage is introduced in the country, and could probably replace welfare services. This characterizes Switzerland’s capacity to extensively provide its citizens outstanding benefits.
So how does the nation famous for its watches, chocolates, and the Alps compare with the Land Down Under as a migration destination? We highlighted the most important components to better help you decide.
Switzerland has one of the strongest and most stable economies in the world (it ranks first in the world in the 2016 Global Innovation Index). The political stability and long-term financial security drove investors and migrants to its ports, further increasing foreign investments and workforce. Primed by its economic sectors, such as industrial, trade, tourism, agriculture, banking, and watch-manufacturing, it has successfully trimmed its unemployment rate down to 3.3%, one of the lowest even by first world standards.
Aside from the main economic zones, industries such as machinery, chemicals, textiles, precision instruments, insurance, and information technology also contribute to the country’s financial momentum. These industries exhibit vast employment openings and career opportunities.
Manufacturing, telecommunications, banking, and the recent mining boom are the country’s leading industries. There are a diverse range of work opportunities everywhere, with the service, information technology, and hospital industry constantly improving.
Unemployment here is currently at 5.9% which means 6,400 jobs were lost last February 2017 but there was an increase of 27,100 for full-employment.
Despite strong economic performances, owning a home is still yet to be a norm in Switzerland. Currently, approximately 60% of its citizens rent their homes. Logically, owning a property is mostly relegated in rural areas and lowest in major cities like Zurich, Geneva, and Basel. The rise in population in urban areas over the last five decades also mean the decrease of the already limited housing stock, thus skyrocketing the prices.
As a foreign migrant, your options might be limited when it comes to owning properties, since only those who are EU or EFTA nationals with a Swiss residence permit who resides in Switzerland those or hold a Swiss C Permit can purchase properties here. Renting is the option to go.
Much like Switzerland, owning a house is also not very common in Australia. Only around 31% of residents here live in fully-owned properties, 28.7% rent their home, while 33.3% of homes are mortgaged.
Suburban fringes of cities and towns sport the inner-city medium to high-rise apartments and the low-density townhouses/fully detached houses, while Melbourne and Sydney cradles the inner-city where public housing is generally found in. They are usually 3-5 story walk-up flats and 11-22 story high-rise towers. Low-density suburban estates are located in almost every city and town in the country.
Switzerland is located right in the heart of Europe, that’s why it boasts of a complicated, yet well-developed, networks of roads and railways for dynamic travelling of people and goods in and out of the country. Its public transport network has a sheer length of 24,500 kilometres and encompasses more than 26,000 stations and stops. The country’s railway system includes urban rails, mountain rail. As for the road public transport, the country has buses, trolleybuses and taxis operating nationwide. It also has an efficient car sharing system ran by the Mobility Carsharing cooperative.
A one-way bus ticket here costs around AU$4.62, while a monthly pass is at AU$106.31. Starting taxi tariff is AU$ 9.23 with AU$5.32 for the first one kilometre. If you would prefer to get your own car, a Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (or equivalent new car) will set you back AU$32,174.00, while a litre of gasoline is at AU$2.09.
Despite the very good public transport system, driving is the most used mode of transport in the country, and this number continues to rise. It is followed by train, walking (the country has a very good culture of walking), and then bus. All Australian cities have reliable, affordable public bus networks and train lines, plus taxis operate nationwide. These train lines include commuter rail networks, trams, light rails, and rapid transits.
Fares are less expensive here compared to Switzerland. A one-way ticket sets you back by AU$3.93, while going for a monthly pass will increase it by AU$130.00. A kilometre ride of taxi is AU$2.17. If you want your own car, A Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (or any equivalent new car) will cost you AU$25,000.00 plus AU$1.32 for every litre of gasoline.
Switzerland universal health care is monitored and provided by the Swiss Federal Law on Health Insurance. There are no free state-provided health services. Private health insurance is mandatory for all people residing in Switzerland within three months of taking up residence or being born in the country.
The whole healthcare system’s general objective is the promotion of the general public health and the reduction of costs while bolstering individual responsibility.
To allow coverage of some of the treatment categories not covered by the basic insurance and enhance the standard of room and service in case of hospitalization, the compulsory insurance can be complemented by private “complementary” insurance policies. This can include routine dental treatments, complementary medicine, half-private or private ward hospitalization, and others which are not covered by the compulsory insurance.
Medicare is the Australian government’s universal health insurance scheme. It provides Australian residents free treatment as a public patient in a public hospital and free or subsidized treatment for optometrist, dental care, and psychology services as well as treatment by doctors.
The extent to which the health care system is used is flexible among Australian citizens, overseas visitors, and temporary and permanent visa holders. Their needs, entitlements, and expectations are influenced by many components such as the nature and degree of their health status, age, gender, location, and cultural background.
Check here how the Australian Public Health Care System Works.
With four European cuisine superpowers surrounding it (France, Germany, Italy and Austria), Switzerland is a melting pot of continental flavours. As a result, it is brimming with restaurants and cafes offering European flavours. These include potatoes prepared in numerous ways, meat (veal, beef, pork, chicken and even horse), fish (mainly fresh water fish), vegetables, and sea food.
At AU$139.89, you can have a three-course fancy meal for two in a mid-range restaurant. You can dial it down by dining at an inexpensive restaurant for only AU$27.98 or you can buy a meal at a fast food restaurant for AU$20.00.
Just like Switzerland, Australia is also a fusion of different cuisines from various cultures. Compared to Switzerland, dining out is way cheaper here. A three-course meal for two people in a mid-range restaurant will cost you AU$80.00, you can save by going for an inexpensive restaurant instead, which will cost you AU$18.00. A McDonalds combo meal is at AU$10.00.
Australian cuisine is an adventure, as it is nourishment, especially for a migrant. They are unique, exciting, and sometimes a matter of acquired taste. Nevertheless, they are all enjoyable.
Check here for some of the most intriguing and delectable Australian dishes.
Switzerland
Climate in Switzerland is broadly temperate, but can also differ hugely in various areas, as characterized by the glacial conditions on the mountains and agreeable near-Mediterranean climate at the southern tip.
Summers are warm and soggy with occasional rainfall, making it ideal for pastures and grazing. Winters in the mountains experience long spells of stable conditions for weeks, while the lower lands tend to suffer from inversion, during these periods, thus seeing no sun for weeks.
Australia
Due to the massive land area, Australia goes through differing climates. This fact is characterized by the severely hot climate in the Kimberley region in the north-west of the continent to below zero in the Snowy Mountains in the south.
Depending upon where you are in the continent each month, the seasons will vary, the weather may be defined by the Temperate zone seasons or the tropical seasons. To find out more about the climate and weather patterns in each of the states in the country, check our blog here.
Advantages of Australian Citizenship include:
For a more detailed information about these benefits, check our blog here.
Switzerland and Australia are both wonderful places to settle. It all comes down to your nature and preference of environment.
Albeit a small country, Switzerland is an economic powerhouse brimming with job opportunities, high income employment, stable political climate, ultra-low crime rates, and exceptional standards of living. Most locations here can be just a walk or bus ride away. It also sports a climate characteristic of central Europe: a cool and amiable climate, even in the summer seasons.
As with other staggering first world nations, life here is fast-paced and the cost of living is very high. If English is your native-tongue, communication may be challenging.
Australia on the other hand, despite having a robust economy, offers a more laidback and less stressful way of life. You can strike a chat with anyone, even complete strangers. The taxi drivers, crews, and officemates are always open for a talk, while the beaches and parks offer silence and solitude. Though you may have to deal with a warmer rain forest climate and the erratic weather.
As we have established before, Australia’s roots itself is founded on migration and immigration. It’s a turbulent history involving people from the far reaches of the world converging into a large heap of mysterious land to establish one of the best countries on Earth.
Here’s an abridged version of that history.
Along the way, we will also squash some myths, too. And explain why, despite its efforts for diversity, the country is still mostly white people.
The first ancestors of the indigenous Australians arrived in the continent 40,000 to 70,000 years ago. Since Australia is detached from the rest of the Earth’s landmass, these ancient settlers must have arrived here when glaciers still joined the continent to Tasmania and New Guinea.
The aborigines established what could be one of the oldest cultural and social traditions on Earth, developed a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, learned to harvest from the sea, and formed spiritual practices that will take the rest of the world many millenia to catch up like cremation and animist religion.
British explorer Captain James Cook wasn't the first Westerner to land ashore Australia (he was the eighth), but he made the most profound impact to the southern continent.
Seventeen years after his first landfall in 1770, Cook was heralded by the British Empire to establish a penal colony here. This was the time when the American Revolutionary was still raging on, prompting the Empire to slowly lose its resources and needed replacement, setting its sight on the newfound land.
Now, you might have heard, this colony is home to Britain’s most violent murderers and traitors and that modern Australians are the descendants of these criminals. Let us crush the myth here.
While they may be branded as “criminals,” these people’s only infractions range from “stealing a piece of bread” to “pickpocketing a wallet.” These were poor, unemployed, exploited, and underfed people (again, because of the US’ war with the Brits) whose hunger caused them to break a few laws and now were needed to be exiled because the prison spaces were rapidly decreasing. And Australia was their chosen destination.
In that same year, the colony of Botany Bay (now Sydney) was established, and years later, the New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land.
But of course, this transition wasn't easy, as the settlers were in constant clash with the indigenous tribes, which they see as barbaric, primitive, and uneducated. Since the Brits have far more superior technology and weapons, the aborigines often got the end of this long, painful, and violent stick. Racism, exploitation, and intolerance was very rampant.
In fact, many indigenous groups today believe that Australia Day, being celebrated every January 26th to commemorate Cooks landing, should be called Invasion Day, to embody and remind the present generation of the bloodshed and affliction the aborigines went through on this turbulent part of history.
The convicts made significant efforts in developing the harsh and unproductive land into a fertile one. In a few years, they were able to pay their debts and gained freedom, establishing families, business, and even companies. Because of this, more and more migrants came to Australia to look for opportunities and ride the wave of its economic upswing. By 1840s, exiling convicts to the country was finally stopped, as the land slowly became a peaceful colony.
It didn't help that in the beginning of 1850s, gold rushes started occurring in some parts of the continent. Businesses boomed more, more migrants came in, and the population grew exponentially.
This ushered in a new transition from Colonial self-government to Federacy to Democracy. In the New Year of 1901, the country saw itself as a united nation, composed of the six major colonial countries. And calls for equal rights and representation grew more and heeded upon.
By population, Australia is currently 92% white (European), despite its constant effort to abolish racism and push forth diversity. This is because of the White Australia Policy.
In 1901, it was decided that the country would only allow immigrants from UK and other English-speaking countries, and exclude Asian, African, and Pacific islands settlers. This was partly to eradicate competition from the Chinese, who in gold rush periods, came to Australia in large numbers to participate and most often got the lion’s share of the economic prosperity.
This policy wasn’t tore down until between 1949 and 1956.
After suffering major setbacks from the two World Wars and the Great Depression, the government encouraged immigration from other nations, warning that the country should “populate or perish.”
With the new immigration polices rolled in, Australia began to enjoy significant economic prosperities between 1950s and 60s, especially in the housing and manufacturing sectors. This ushered in a newfound boom in the suburban living.
In the early 50s, alliances were formed with the United States and United Kingdoms, ironically the nations that spurned out Australia’s history and laid the ground to its economic rise.
This economic expansion plus steady stream of skilled immigrants pouring in continued to become the frameworks of the country’s development. A nation built from the aggregates of the many people who took the leap to find opportunities, and in the 21st Century continuous to grow on the same aspects of these events.