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Egon Kisch, the Domain, Sydney 1934

Egon Kisch, the Domain, Sydney 1934

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From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[a128969 / Home and Away 4742]

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Demonstrations and protests Immigration

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The Domain

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Kisch, Egon

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Immigration Restriction Act 1901

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Hood, Sam

State Library of New South Wales

Demonstrations and protests

Immigration

The Domain

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Park in central Sydney which dates from the colony's earliest days.

Kisch, Egon

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Czech journalist and communist who came to Australia in November 1934 as an anti-war and anti-fascism campaigner and spoke to large crowds at the Domain. Charged with being a 'prohibited immigrant', he was made to undertake the infamous 'dictation' test under the Immigration Restriction Act in Scottish Gaelic, which was not among the many languages he spoke, and he failed. His experiences here and eventual deportation in March 1935 lead to challenges to the Act.

Immigration Restriction Act 1901

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Federal legislation which formed the basis of the White Australia policy. It introduced a dictation test which could be given in any language, thereby giving immigration officers wide discretion in preventing entry. The dictation test was abolished in 1958 and the White Australia policy in March 1966 when it was announced that restriction on immigration by non-Europeans would be eased.