Australia and New Zealand like to describe themselves as young countries.
What they really are is countries built by movement — waves of people arriving with skills, labour, ideas, food, and ambition, and slowly reshaping societies at the edge of the world.
From forced transportation to free settlement, from exclusion to multiculturalism, immigration didn’t just add to Australia and New Zealand.
It built them.
Before Migration Became a Policy
Long before modern immigration systems existed, people moved to these lands for very different reasons.
Australia began as a penal colony. Britain transported tens of thousands of convicts, many of whom stayed, worked, and raised families. New Zealand, by contrast, was largely settled by free migrants, often recruited to farm, trade, and build towns.
In both places, Indigenous peoples were already there — with deep, complex societies that colonial governments ignored or displaced. Modern immigration histories cannot be told without acknowledging this foundational injustice.
Building Labour-Hungry Nations
As colonies expanded, labour shortages became a defining problem.
Gold rushes in the 19th century pulled migrants from Europe, North America, and China. Railways, ports, farms, and cities demanded workers. Governments actively promoted migration, selling Australasia as a land of opportunity.
Chinese miners, Pacific Island labourers, and European settlers all contributed — even as many faced discrimination, exclusion, or violence.
Economic need and social anxiety grew side by side.
Exclusion and the Myth of Homogeneity
As the 20th century began, both countries tried to control who belonged.
Australia’s White Australia Policy and New Zealand’s restrictive immigration laws aimed to preserve a British identity. Migration continued — but narrowly defined.
Despite this, diversity never disappeared. Migrants adapted, built businesses, and quietly reshaped culture, even when official narratives denied it.
The idea of a “homogeneous” nation was always more myth than reality.
Post-War Migration: A Turning Point
After World War II, everything changed.
Australia adopted the slogan “populate or perish”, launching one of the largest migration programs in the world. Millions arrived from Britain, then Southern and Eastern Europe, and later Asia.
New Zealand also welcomed large numbers of migrants, particularly from the Pacific Islands, to fuel industry and urban growth.
These newcomers built:
- Roads, dams, and power stations
- Factories and housing estates
- Transport networks and ports
Projects like the Snowy Mountains Scheme became symbols of migrant labour and multicultural cooperation.
Culture Follows People
Immigration didn’t just fill jobs — it transformed daily life.
Food changed first. Coffee replaced tea. Mediterranean, Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisines entered the mainstream. Cities became louder, denser, and more creative.
Sport, music, fashion, and business followed. Migrants opened shops, started companies, and created communities that reshaped urban landscapes.
What was once “foreign” became normal.
From Assimilation to Multiculturalism
For much of the 20th century, migrants were expected to assimilate — to blend in quietly.
By the late 20th century, both countries shifted toward multiculturalism, recognising that difference could be a strength rather than a threat.
The change wasn’t smooth or uncontested. Immigration sparked debates about identity, housing, wages, and belonging — debates that continue today.
The Economic Engine of Migration
Today, immigration remains central to both economies.
Migrants fill skill shortages, start businesses, and drive population growth. International students support universities. Skilled professionals fuel tech, healthcare, and construction.
In many ways, migration has replaced natural resources as the long-term growth strategy.
Without newcomers, both countries would age faster, grow slower, and lose dynamism. But while the economy grows the per capita income has fallen. Social trust has also eroded leading to crime and terrorism in high immigrant cities such as Melbourne and Sydney. New hate speech laws are now needed to try and curb inter ethnic tensions. Time will tell if these challenges will be overcome.
A Shared Story, Still Unfolding
Australia and New Zealand are not finished products.
They are ongoing projects — shaped by who arrives, who stays, and who is welcomed.
Immigration built their cities, powered their economies, transformed their cultures, and challenged their self-image.
The modern nations that exist today were not inherited.
They were made — by people who came from somewhere else and decided to belong.
