News Release IÃ¢ÂÂ¢

FROM THE MINISTER: FOR IMMIGRATION

STATEMENT MADE BY I'IO MINI STER FOR II'rfdiIGRAT ION ,

THE HON. B.M. STNEDDEN Q . C . M Ã¢ÂÂ¢ P . , AT THE

CONVENTION OF THE, PRINTING ARD ALLIED TRADES EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION MELBOURNE ON 16

SEPTEMBER 1968

Australians should think now what they could make their

country by the beginning of next century, the Minister for

Immigration, Mr. Snedden, said today.

Speaking at the Convention of the Printing and Allied

Trades Employers' Federation in Melbourne, 'r. Snedden said

'In little more than 30 years, the 'new Australia' will have 28

million people.

"' Reflect on the change of pace - less than 30 years ago we 'tad fewer than 7 million people.

"This rate of change must ho matched by a willingness

to adopt now attitudes and a more ready reception of new ideas.

"Australians must not be content merely to see changes

take place - they must wish now consciously to control their

direction and extent," Mr. Snedden said.

Migrants had added richly to Australian life in the last 20 years nr so.

But by the turn of the century, many more of the people

living here would have come from overseas.

Already Australia was second only to Israel in the

proportion of its population born overseas.

"One in four of us is a migrant or a member of a migrant family - before long perhaps it will be one in three", 1.'Ir. Sneddei said.

"With 40 per cent of our people under 21 we already have the advantage of a youthful base. From our young people and a

continuing high intake of migrants we can expect a flow of new ideas and demands.

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"In assessing these we must take the large view for

Australia's future. We must recognise the danger of becoming too

concerned with today and not concerned enough with the years ahead.

"Obviously, our concern must not only be with material

advance. Economic progress must at least be matched by cultural

and social progress.

"In the human field, our aim must not only be the cure of

the 'social casualty' but the removal of the conditions which

crippled him. Awareness of increasing community responsibility must grow among us and we must seize the opportunities which advances in sociology are giving us today.

"We must study our children more and the effect of our

ways upon them. Our education system must prepare them to meet

the greater responsibilities and, at the same time, to appreciate more fully the new opportunities for leisure-time activities. Our cities and towns must be planned now for living in the 21st century, " Mr. Snedden ar. d ed .

Department of Immigration, CANBERRA. A.C.T.

16 September 1968

