A reflection for Australia Day 2012

On the occasion of recently celebrating Australia's national day, I think it is useful to reflect upon the life of an ordinary, but also a rather exceptional, Greek-Australian. His story is likely reflective of many immigrants of the 50s and 60s. Aristides Kalloniatis was born in the village of Stypsi (Lesvos) Greece on April 20, 1925 and died in Melbourne on December 28, 2011.

What his life showed was that a non-English speaking, primary school educated, unskilled immigrant can, and did, make a significant contribution to our society - something very relevant to consider this Australia Day.

Like many post-World War II immigrants to Australia, he was unskilled and poorly educated. With no educational facilities beyond primary school in the village and difficult economic circumstances, he had to work from his early teenage years to assist the family. He also served his country of birth for three years during the Greek Civil war. Aristides subsequently married and provided for his young family during dire economic times in Lesvos in the early 1950's.

He and his family migrated first from the village to Athens in the mid-1950's where his humble Athens home was also a temporary residence for many friends and relatives as they made their own move to Athens ,or were in transit for their migration overseas. Aristides was always astute and realising the potential of political turmoil in Greece (the military junta took control of Greece in 1967), and the immense opportunities for his family in Australia; he made the brave decision to emigrate. In 1965, at the age of 40, the second migration began and his family (wife and two young children) moved originally to Geelong where they stayed for five years, and subsequently settled permanently in Melbourne.

Someone with such a background would not meet the current Australian immigration guidelines. However, not so long ago, migrants like him were welcomed, and worked in occupations Australia needed to build its economic base. Immigration continues to be controversial: however, studies in Australia have shown that the children of immigrants particularly from Southern and Eastern European countries and some countries from Asia, attain a significantly better level of education and better occupations than those of older generations. In studies of contemporary immigration of ethnic communities in the United States, the long-term prospects are dependent upon the educational success and social adaptation of the children of immigrants.

The message is that contemporary immigration in Australia appears to be working with the level of education and occupations achieved by children of immigrants being the key 'measure of success'. Sometimes a new ethnic community may undergo an evolutionary cycle and endure difficult times before they assimilate into our society and become a 'model minority', as Professor Andrew Jakubowicz pointed out in The Age on January 7. Professor Jakubowicz also highlights that our politicians play critical roles in setting public policy, shaping community values thereby "either contributing to the building of a creative multicultural society, or push a society to becoming a maelstrom torn apart by hatred, fear and self defeat". It is therefore laudable to read the Premier of Victoria, Ted Baillieu, calling for Australians to be more welcoming of refugees. It is rather disappointing that negative sentiments continue to be expressed by some of our political leaders in relation to refugees and immigrants.