Abstract
Much has been written about the ‘White Australia policy’ and the stringent restrictions placed on the immigration of ‘coloured’ persons, particularly Asians, to Australia. There has also been broad consideration of how, despite the restrictions and over many decades, thousands of Japanese continued to be admitted to the country, predominantly as cheap labour contracted to local firms in the dangerous and monotonous work of pearl-shell diving. Yet, a greater apparent anomaly that has never been seriously addressed is the admission of a number of highly skilled Japanese doctors to work in the major pearling centres independent of any attachment to Australian firms or institutions. This study fills that gap, identifying the highly diverse group of Japanese doctors who, throughout this long period of general hostility towards Asian immigration, came or sought to come and practise in Australia. It explores what they encountered, the effects of their presence, and what, if anything, they achieved.Using a variety of often previously unexamined primary sources in both Japanese and English, this doctoral thesis identifies more than a dozen medical practitioners who arrived and settled for at least a short time, when the general consensus has been that there were, at most, one or two. It unravels enough about their lives and the situations they faced to allow evaluation of opportunity, acceptance and performance from diverse perspectives. It thereby provides a deeper understanding of the operation and impact of an essentially racist policy, and a more nuanced perspective of the many competing interests, as well as some unexpected insights into the parallel and overlapping history of diseases, medical treatment and education.
The key question being asked is: what were the key determinants of opportunity, acceptance and performance? A basic hypothesis is that while the Immigration Restriction Act was enacted to provide control of ‘coloured’ immigration, it was not the principal determinant of whether these doctors entered Australia, how they were treated, or what they were able to achieve. This study reveals the complexity of interactions at all levels from local to international that framed the presence of and opportunities available to the doctors. At the same time, it demonstrates the considerable potential to vary the outcome at an individual and local level and provides insights into the most important factors in effectively tackling prejudice.
| Date of Award | 21 Mar 2024 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Steven Farram (Supervisor), Nathan Franklin (Supervisor) & Bongiorno Frank (Supervisor) |