Canberra, 19 December 1972
Confidential
I refer to our talk today concerning the British Government’s instruction to their High Commissioner here to seek consultations with the Australian Government concerning Britain’s entry requirements in relation to Australians.
As I see it, there are two main considerations needing to be reconciled:
- your Department has the function of protecting or furthering the interests of Australians resident or travelling abroad, vis-a-vis Governments of other countries;
- this Department is concerned to preserve the Australian Government’s freedom of action in policies and procedures relating to entry to Australia.
I naturally would not wish to seem to intervene too far in (a).
My position in relation to (b) was set out in my letter to you dated 22 November (copy attached for convenience of reference).1
To be even more specific, our new Government has not yet had an opportunity to consider and decide the future of our visa system, and in particular the manner in which it at present discriminates
- –between people of European and non-European descent;
- –between British and non-British nationals.
Decisions in these matters will no doubt be taken against the background of ALP policy which requires avoidance of discrimination on grounds of either race or nationality; but which also requires ‘avoidance of the difficult social and economic problems which may follow from an influx of peoples having different standards of living, traditions, and cultures’.
It may be that the Government will find it necessary to require British people of European descent to obtain visas before coming to Australia, whether for temporary or permanent stay. (The easing of requirements for non–Europeans could present problems of control and risks which might be regarded as unacceptable.)
In the light of these possibilities I would suggest it may be even more desirable than before to make it clear to the British Government that Australia has no desire to make any requests in relation to substantive issues in Britain’s requirements for entry; and that reciprocal arrangements are not thought appropriate or necessary.
I do not see this as precluding discussion of marginal and essentially administrative points which Mr Pritchett in London has been describing in his telegrams in recent weeks and which you may consider it proper to raise within your Department’s responsibilities for the interests of Australians abroad.
1 Document 349.
[NAA: A446, 1973/95155]