Talk: Post War British Migrant Ships

In 1945 the Chifley Government created the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme. Australia needed an influx of 70,000 migrants a year to substantially increase the population and to supply workers for the country’s booming industries.

In return for subsidising the cost of travelling to Australia – adult migrants were charged only ten pounds and migrant scheme children travelled free of charge – the Government promised employment prospects, affordable housing and a generally more optimistic lifestyle. The only catch was that if they took up the offer they had to stay at least two years before deciding to return, otherwise they had to pay the full fare home themselves.

While the “Ten Pound Pom” was in common use, the scheme was not limited to migrants from the United Kingdom. It was not only those from the British Isles that were eligible but also residents of British colonies such as Malta and Cyprus. It later applied to migrants from other countries, notably Netherlands, Italy, Greece, West Germany and Turkey.