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About the Department

Immigration Videos

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Moving pictures have always played an important role in telling the department's stories and broadcasting its messages. As far back as the 1940s, the department's first minister Arthur Calwell used newsreels to communicate with Australians at the cinema while later on the 'Come to Australia for ten pounds' advertising campaign enticed Britons to start a fabulous new life in sunny Australia.

Today, the department broadcasts its messages to a worldwide audience with its very own YouTube channel ImmiTV. This innovative communication channel allows the department to showcase its work, programs and events, announce new policies and provide how-to instructional videos to guide clients through the department's online services.
See: Youtube ImmiTV

On this page you can see a selection of clips dating from the 1940s to today.

'Ten Pound Poms'

These UK television advertisements promoted passage to Australia for ten pounds. This wave of British migrants became known as 'The Ten Pound Poms'. The slogan of the commercials is 'Australia—brings out the best in you'.

Arthur Calwell's address

Immigration minister Arthur Calwell's address announcing plans to embark on a mission to obtain ships for bringing immigrants to Australia.

The retired chief migration officer oral history project

The retired chief migration officer oral history project is a joint venture involving the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and National Library of Australia. The project documents the careers of a number of senior immigration officers who served throughout the world after World War II. These officers were instrumental in putting into practice Australia's immigration policies from the 1950s to the 1980s.

The following videos are available:

Transcripts are available for these videos: