![World map with arrows showing migration of people from Europe and Asia to Australia and the Americas. The key text at the top reads 'The flow of population The average yearly migration from Europe during the 5 years ending June 1912, was 910,570 Where did they go?'](/sites/default/files/styles/content_full_width/public/media/images/2024-07/collection-map-flow-population-migration-1920-nla.obj-297463529.png?h=72f2151d&itok=FrduXJ7x)
The flow of population : [World map] : the average yearly migration from Europe during the 5 years ending June, 1912, was 910,570, where did they go?, 1920, nla.obj-297463529
![Group portrait of eight Pacific Islander men holding large guns and three British 'recruiters'](/sites/default/files/styles/content_full_width/public/media/images/2024-07/collection-photo-recruiters-boats-crew-1895-nla.obj-135246241.png?h=72f2151d&itok=xPL7yuWt)
A. Lomer & Co., Recruiters & boats crew, New Hebrides, Queensland labor [i.e. labour] traffic, 1895, nla.obj-135246241
![Black and white photo of Japanese men on a pearl diving boat, one dressed in diving attire but with the helmet off](/sites/default/files/styles/content_full_width/public/media/images/2024-07/collection-photo-japanese-pearl-divers-1914-flynn-nla.obj-142355689.png?h=72f2151d&itok=-M95d2oK)
John Flynn, Japanese pearl divers, with Victor Kepert aboard a pearl lugger, Broome, Western Australia, ca. 1914, 2, nla.obj-142355689
![Watercolour of an internment camp with several small, one-storey buildings and lots of empty space](/sites/default/files/styles/content_full_width/public/media/images/2024-07/collection-painting-Hay-Internment-Camp-1940-nla.cat-vn2921273.png?h=72f2151d&itok=TXMbNYYG)
Watercolour of Hay Internment Camp on Nari Nari, Wiradjuri, and Yitha Yitha Country from the Records of Hay Internment Camp, 1940-1941, nla.cat-vn2921273
The lead-up to Federation in 1901 centred around desire for a ‘white’ national identity. British political values, including the rights of the individual, personal liberty and, private property, a broadly free market economy, state-owned infrastructure, democratic institutions and constitutional government, informed the creation of the Australian nation. These ideas were thought to be incompatible with a society containing different races with different standards of living.
The 1901 Constitution gave the federal parliament powers to make laws regarding ‘people of any race’, except Aboriginal people, and issues such as ‘immigration and emigration’, ‘naturalisation and aliens’ and the ‘influx of criminals’, all of which underpinned the laws that would make up the White Australia policy.