Australia was settled initially by the British as a penal colony, and has a stronger European background than Asian, even though its nearest neighbors are Asian. The first wave of more recent immigrants to Australia came from the United Kingdom and Northern Europe in the 1950s, followed by the second wave from Southern Europe in the 1960s (Asian). Asians comprise the bulk of immigrants in what is known as the 'third wave' of immigration to Australia in the 1970s, comprising 40 percent of settler arrivals and more than half of Australia's annual permanent settlers. This began with a large-scale refugee intake after the war in Vietnam.
This increased Asian immigration is changing the face of Australia and has caused some concern among Australians (Asian). However, it is not so much the source of the immigrants that is disputed, as a questioning of the need now that economic conditions have changed and employment opportunities have declined. As of June, 1995, only 4.8 percent of the estimated resident population of Australia was Asian-born, and with their Australian born children, first- and second-generation Asians comprised roughly six percent of the population. Population projections suggested that by 2031, the European-born population will decline to six or seven percent, and the Asian-born population will rise to seven to 9 percent of the population. By 2025, it is predicted that people of Anglo-Celtic background will comprise 62 percent of the population, those of European background will comprise 15 percent, and those of Asian background will comprise 16 percent of the population. These figures suggest that while the population of Asians is growing in Australia, it is likely to remain more European in nature for many years to come.
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