Iranian Australian
Encyclopedia
Iranian Australians are people of Iranian origin residing in Australia. They include expatriates in exile as well as permanent immigrants and their descendants.
, and were denied entry and the policy largely remained in place until the 1960s and was lifted in 1973. The first Iranian to enter Australia and gain citizenship was Jacques Cadry of Cadrys Handwoven Rugs in 1951. In 1981 the Minister for Immigration announced a Special Humanitarian Assistance (SHP) Program for Iranians to seek refuge in Australia. See also Bahá'í Faith in Australia
. Government agencies have observed closely the resettlement of Iranian refugees in Australia. One report observed many were professionally qualified and displayed a determination to re-establish themselves quickly; they tended to remain in migrant hostels for short periods; they had high expectations of successful settlement, and strong career ambitions. General Iranian immigration to Australia mostly occurred from 1980s to late 1990s. The Iranian-Australian community has produced a sizable number of individuals notable in many fields, including medicine
, engineering
, and business
.
, particularly around Sydney
, Newcastle
, and Wollongong. There are also large concentrations in Melbourne
.
Iranian communities in Australia also have varying religious populations among each city. Overall 55% are Muslim
, 35 % are Bahá'í
, followed by 7% Christian
and 3% Jewish. Sydney
' Iranian population - the nation's highest concentration Iranian people community - is representative of all of Iran's religious groups. Noticeably, the majority of Jewish Iranians
living abroad are in Sydney, after Israel and Los Angeles respectively
In 2004, 18,798 people in Australia claim to be of Iranian ancestry.
By 2005, Iranian-Australians had reached 24,588 with 11,536 of these residing in New South Wales. The largest populations of Iranian-Australians can be found in the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, and Queensland.
Iranian-Australians have founded and/or participated in senior leadership positions of many major companies, including many Fortune 500 and Australian branch of companies such as GE, Intel, Verizon, Motorola, and AT&T.
History
Denied entry as early as 1948, Iranian Bahá'ís seeking to emigrate to Australia were classified as "Asiatic" by Australia's White Australia policyWhite Australia policy
The White Australia policy comprises various historical policies that intentionally restricted "non-white" immigration to Australia. From origins at Federation in 1901, the polices were progressively dismantled between 1949-1973....
, and were denied entry and the policy largely remained in place until the 1960s and was lifted in 1973. The first Iranian to enter Australia and gain citizenship was Jacques Cadry of Cadrys Handwoven Rugs in 1951. In 1981 the Minister for Immigration announced a Special Humanitarian Assistance (SHP) Program for Iranians to seek refuge in Australia. See also Bahá'í Faith in Australia
Bahá'í Faith in Australia
The Bahá'í Faith in Australia has a long history beginning with a mention by `Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the religion, in 1916 following which United Kingdom/American emigrants John and Clara Dunn came to Australia in 1920. They found people willing to convert to the Bahá'í Faith in...
. Government agencies have observed closely the resettlement of Iranian refugees in Australia. One report observed many were professionally qualified and displayed a determination to re-establish themselves quickly; they tended to remain in migrant hostels for short periods; they had high expectations of successful settlement, and strong career ambitions. General Iranian immigration to Australia mostly occurred from 1980s to late 1990s. The Iranian-Australian community has produced a sizable number of individuals notable in many fields, including medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, and business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
.
Demography
Large concentrations of Iranian Australians live in the state of New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, particularly around Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, and Wollongong. There are also large concentrations in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Iranian communities in Australia also have varying religious populations among each city. Overall 55% are Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, 35 % are Bahá'í
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
, followed by 7% Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and 3% Jewish. Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
' Iranian population - the nation's highest concentration Iranian people community - is representative of all of Iran's religious groups. Noticeably, the majority of Jewish Iranians
Persian Jews
Persian Jews , are Jews historically associated with Iran, traditionally known as Persia in Western sources.Judaism is one of the oldest religions practiced in Iran. The Book of Esther contains some references to the experiences of Jews in Persia...
living abroad are in Sydney, after Israel and Los Angeles respectively
Iranian-Australian Census
In 1991, the ABS figures revealed an Iranian population of 12,914.In 2004, 18,798 people in Australia claim to be of Iranian ancestry.
By 2005, Iranian-Australians had reached 24,588 with 11,536 of these residing in New South Wales. The largest populations of Iranian-Australians can be found in the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, and Queensland.
Iranian-Australians have founded and/or participated in senior leadership positions of many major companies, including many Fortune 500 and Australian branch of companies such as GE, Intel, Verizon, Motorola, and AT&T.
Notable people
- Kamran EshraghianKamran EshraghianKamran Eshraghian is an electronic engineer notable for being a key early pioneer of VLSI in Australia. He is one of the fathers of CMOS VLSI design and his books have been influential on a par with the Mead & Conway revolution.-Education:...
, engineer - Amir FaridAmir FaridAmir Farid is an Iranian-Australian solo pianist and chamber musician based in Melbourne. He is also the pianist member of Benaud Trio as well as the principal accompanist for the senior performing ensemble of the Australian Children's Choir. In 2006 he won the first prize of the prestigious...
, pianist - Zarah GhahramaniZarah GhahramaniZarah Ghahramani is an Iranian-born author living in Australia who wrote My Life as a Traitor, an award-winning memoir of her imprisonment and torture in Evin Prison.- Life :...
, writer - Shokoufeh KavaniShokoufeh KavaniShokufeh Kavani is an Iranian contemporary painter, translator and artist currently living in Sydney, Australia. She is primarily known as a translator and as an abstract painter of the post–Islamic society of Iran.-Background:...
,artist - Joey MeadJoey MeadJoey Mead or Rosa Josefa Mead is an Australian television personality and Model born in the Philippines.-Personal:Mead has a Filipina mother, Josephine del Pilar Mead. Her biological father is of Persian descent. When she was 6, she and her mother settled Adelaide, Australia,with her Australian...
, model - Nabi SalehNabi SalehNabi Saleh is an Australian entrepreneur and commodities trader known as an elder of the Hillsong Church, and for starting Gloria Jean's Coffees in Australia.-Biography:...
, entrepreneur - Osamah SamiOsamah SamiOsamah Sami is an Australian actor of Persian origin. He has appeared in numerous episodes of the Australian television programme Kick.-Biography:...
, actor - Hossein ValamaneshHossein ValamaneshHossein Valamanesh is one of Australia's contemporary artists. Valamanesh emigrated to Australia in 1973, and lives and works in Adelaide, South Australia.-Career:...
, artist - Granaz MoussaviGranaz MoussaviGranaz Moussavi , is an Iranian-Australian contemporary poet, film director and screen writer. She is primarily renowned for her avant-garde poetry in the 90's...
, poet, film maker - Houman YounessiHouman YounessiHouman Younessi is an Australian-American educator, practitioner, consultant and investigator in information systems, systems and software development processes, computer science, financial economics, decision science and business strategy...
, academic
See also
- Iranian citizens abroadIranian citizens abroadThe term Iranians abroad or Iranian diaspora refers to the Iranian people born in Iran but living outside of Iran with their children.As of 2010, there are an estimated four to five million Iranians living abroad, mostly in North America, Europe, Persian Gulf States, Turkey, Australia and the...
- Iranian peoplesIranian peoplesThe Iranian peoples are an Indo-European ethnic-linguistic group, consisting of the speakers of Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, as such forming a branch of Indo-European-speaking peoples...
- Persian peoplePersian peopleThe Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
- Iranian New ZealanderIranian New ZealanderIranian New Zealanders , informally known as Persian Kiwis, are New Zealanders of Iranian national background or descent who are expatriates or permanent immigrants, and their descendants...