Editing Harold Holt (section)

====Immigration====
As prime minister, Holt continued the liberalisation of immigration law that he had begun as Minister for Immigration. When he came to office, what remained of the [[White Australia policy]] was upheld by [[ministerial decree]] rather than by explicit legislation. In March 1966, the residency requirement for [[naturalisation]] was changed to a uniform five years; it had previously been 15 years for non-whites. Discriminatory provisions relating to [[family reunification]] were also removed.<ref name=new>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105891028 "New migration policy will aid Japanese"], ''[[The Canberra Times]]'', 11 March 1966. Retrieved 3 December 2017.</ref> As a result, in the two years after March 1966 around 3,000 Asian immigrants were granted Australian citizenship,<ref>Frame (2005), p. 160.</ref> compared with 4,100 in the preceding two decades.<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105888104 "Sir Robert rejected migrant plan"], ''[[The Canberra Times]]'', 22 February 1966. Retrieved 3 December 2017.</ref> Additionally, Immigration Minister [[Hubert Opperman]] announced that potential immigrants to Australia would be assessed solely "on the basis of their suitability as settlers, their ability to integrate readily, and their possession of qualifications which are in fact positively useful to Australia";<ref>[https://www.moadoph.gov.au/blog/white-australia-policy-the-beginning-of-the-end-50-years-ago/ White Australia policy&nbsp;– the beginning of the end 50 years ago], Museum of Australian Democracy, 9 March 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2017.</ref> non-whites had previously had to demonstrate that they were "highly qualified and distinguished" to gain entry.<ref name=new/>

[[Keith Wilson (South Australian politician)|Keith Wilson]] believed that the Holt government's reforms ensured that "from now on there will not be in any of our laws or in any of our regulations anything that discriminates against migrants on the grounds of colour or race". However, there would not be a practical change in the composition of Australia's immigration intake for many more years.<ref>[http://www.nma.gov.au/online_features/defining_moments/featured/end_of_the_white_australia_policy White Australia policy ends] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913014001/http://www.nma.gov.au/online_features/defining_moments/featured/end_of_the_white_australia_policy |date=13 September 2017 }}, National Museum of Australia. Retrieved 3 December 2017.</ref> Holt maintained that "every country reserves to itself the right to decide what the composition of its people shall be", and promised "a community life free from serious minority and racial problems".<ref name=cap>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105890727/11617882 "'We are a capital importing country': Mr Holt"], ''[[The Canberra Times]]'', 9 March 1966. Retrieved 3 December 2017.</ref> He was careful to frame his changes as simply a modification of existing policy, in order to avoid alienating organised labour (historically the greatest supporters of restricting non-white immigration).<ref name="Frame 2005, p. 161"/> The Labor Party had only removed "White Australia" from its platform in 1965, and Opposition Leader [[Arthur Calwell]] stated he was "determined to continue to oppose, for many obvious reasons, any attempt to create a multi-racial society in our midst".<ref>[https://electionspeeches.moadoph.gov.au/speeches/1966-arthur-calwell Australian Federal Elections Speeches: Arthur Calwell], Museum of Australian Democracy. Retrieved 3 December 2017.</ref> However, Holt was less circumspect outside Australia, telling British journalists that no White Australia policy existed and ordering Australian embassies to promote the changes to Asian governments and media outlets.<ref name=new/><ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/107881136 "Holt, Wilson in weekend meeting"], ''[[The Canberra Times]]'', 11 July 1966. Retrieved 3 December 2017.</ref>