south sea island

By jdebets

  • Opening up the tropical north

    It was commonly believed at this time that white people could not labour safely in the tropics.

  • Coloured’ labour

    The first group of 67 South Sea Islanders were brought to Queensland to work on a cotton plantation.

  • Polynesian Labourers Act

    This was the first legislation introduced to regulate labour trafficking of Pacific Islanders into Queensland.

  • Pacific Island Labourers Act

    This was the first comprehensive legislation regulating all aspects of the trafficking and employment of labour from the Pacific Islands, with inspectors appointed to enforce it.

  • Coloured Races Restriction and Regulation Act

    NSW was the first colony to ban non-white immigration. Having restricted the entry of Chinese immigrants to the colony in 1881, NSW extended the restriction in 1896 to “all persons belonging to any coloured race inhabiting” Africa, Asia, or any island in the Indian or Pacific Oceans.

  • Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission research.

    This research made significant detailed findings about the ongoing disadvantage faced by Australian South Sea Islanders due to discriminatory practices by governments and the general community over the previous century.

  • Commonwealth Government consultations with Australian South Sea Islander communities in Queensland and northern New South Wales.

    These consultations were necessary because of a lack of progress on the community development project. The consultations found.

  • Report on the health of Australian South Sea Islanders in the Tweed Valley

    A study on the health of Australian South Sea Islanders living in the Tweed Valley region of northern NSW was a joint initiative of the Tweed Valley Health Services and the Tweed-Northern Rivers NSW Branch of the National Federation of Australian South Sea Islanders.

  • Queensland Government’s action plan

    In July 2001 the Queensland Government endorsed an action plan designed to ensure Australian South Sea Islanders have the opportunity to “participate in and contribute to the economic, social, political and cultural life of Queensland”.