Exhibition “A Ticket to Paradise” charts immigrant’s impact on Australia

Dr. James Jupp, Australian National University (ANU) Adjunct Associate Professor said most of the policies crafted then are what have made the modern country of Australia what it has become today.

Dr. King says the initial policies termed “populate or perish” implemented by Arthur Calwell, the then immigration minister could not have essentially envisioned the ending of then Australia white policy as regards immigration by non-northern Europeans.

According to Dr. Jupp, Australia has entirely altered its initial British focus to become a broader society rather than more of a British culture isolated from all her neighbours somewhere in the South Pacific.

In Dr. Jupp’s view, the modifications that took place, the migration during the post-war period and after up to now, Australia is transacting extremely closely with China.

Among the key featured stories is one of a Sydney businessman, who was originally from the country of Lebanon, Joseph Assaf. He recalls his initial memories of the 1960s sartorial elegance of Darwin.

He reports that he had previously never even been outside the boundaries of his birth place of Lebanon, not to mention on a plane.

He vividly recalls as the British Airways, BOAC landed down at Darwin, how he was surprised to meet and see people putting on shorts, a tie and long socks, something had previously never experienced.

Mr. Assaf intimates that the A Ticket to Paradise exhibition was in reality extremely significant as the majority of people usually only hear negative stories regarding migration and migrants.

The Adjunct Associate Professor at ANU Dr Jupp confirms that he is a creation of that migration wave coming into Australia.

He says that it is a great idea for keeping in memory the past plus in helping in showing the people how the Australian population has over time changed.

Acting curator Dr King says whilst a lot of stories are exhibited, one which remains her favourites is one of a young Vietnamese family photo.

It shows an extremely young family from Vietnam standing in front of a huge plane and it is evident that they had only arrived having few possessions and a bit of trepidation is showing on their young faces as they land into their new country.

The Ticket to Paradise exhibition was launched on 27th November at Canberra’s National Archives and on 28th is open to the general public.