Cold War: Australia Opens Its Doors—Immigration Nation (Enhanced DVD)

Part of the series "Immigration Nation," this film examines the efforts that led to the end of white-only immigration in Australia.
While Australia's exclusionary attitude goes back to the founding of the nation, this attitude still remained popular during the Cold War era. This can be attributed to the fear of communism and the fear of Asian immigrants.

Robert Menzies' Colombo Plan attempts to hold back Asian communism by allowing Asian students to attend Australian universities. This was meant to introduce Asians to the benefits of Australia's white nation. Instead, the white Australian students realized the importance and richness of a multicultural society. Other changes in Australian's attitudes can be seen with the acceptance of refugees during the Vietnam War and the controversy surrounding the deportation of a 6-year-old girl from Fiji. 

The film chronicles the changes in attitudes in Australia from an attitude of exclusion to an attitude of acceptance. 

Cold War: Australia Opens Its Doors—Immigration Nation