Community Information Summary Historical Background

Fiji-born Community Information Summary Historical Background

Fiji-born have been in Australia since the late 1800s. By the early 1900s, there were 585 Fiji-born people in Australia, the majority of whom were of European ancestry. By the mid-1950s there were over 2,000 Fiji- born persons in Australia, mostly offspring of missionary families originally from Australia or Europe.

Migration from Fiji to Australia became significant in the late 1960s but began to increase even more after Fiji gained independence from Great Britain in 1970. Attracted by Australia's employment and economic opportunities and the higher wages and improved welfare services the Fiji-born population in Australia increased to 14,749.

In 1987, military coups designed to secure indigenous Fijian control over the government caused concern amongst the Fijian Indians. In 1990, a new constitution which guaranteed indigenous Fijian control led to considerable emigration by Fijian Indians seeking asylum. In 1987-88 the number of settler arrivals reached a peak of 2,980 and by 2001 the Fiji-born population in Australia had increased to 44,040. From the 2000s onwards, Fijian migration has declined.

The Fiji-born population in Australia comprise people of indigenous Fijian, Chinese, Indian, European, Rotuman and other ancestries.

2016 Census

Geographic Distribution The latest Census in 2016 recorded 61,469 Fiji-born people in Australia, an increase of 7.9 per cent from the 2011 Census.

The 2016 distribution by State and Territory showed New South Wales had the largest number with 33,879 followed by Queensland (12,614), Victoria (10,825) and Western Australia (1,328). Age and Sex The median age of the Fiji-born in 2016 was 45 years compared with 44 years Age and Sex Per cent for all overseas-born and 38 years for (%) Male Female the total Australian population. 25

20 The age distribution showed 3.1 per cent were aged 0-14 years, 7.0 per 15 cent were 15-24 years, 39.8 per cent were 25-44 years, 37.8 per cent were 10 45-64 years and 12.3 per cent were 65 years and over. 5

0 Of the Fiji-born in Australia, there were 28,368 males (46.2 per cent) and 33,105 females (53.9 per cent). The sex ratio was 86 males per 100 Age females.

Ancestry

In the 2016 Census, the top ancestry Ancestry Response responses* that Fiji-born people Indian 42.1% reported were Indian (30,494), Fijian Fijian (19,180) and Fijian Indian (7,718). 26.5%

In the 2016 Census, Australians reported over 300 different ancestries. Of the total ancestry responses* 619,164 responses were towards Indian ancestry.

Other Fijian Indian Ancestry * At the 2016 Census up to two responses per person 10.7% 16.1% English were allowed for the Ancestry question, therefore 4.7% there can be more responses than total persons.

Language Language Spoken at Home Hindi The main languages spoken at home 54.4% by Fiji-born people in Australia were Hindi (33,411), English (14,717) and Fijian (6,548).

Of the 46,457 Fiji-born who spoke a language other than English at home, 95.2 per cent spoke English very well or well, and 3.7 per cent spoke English English not well or not at all. Other 23.9% Languages 6.6% Fijian Fijian Hindustani 10.7% 3.6% Religion

At the 2016 Census the major religious Religion Hinduism affiliations amongst Fiji-born were 45.9% Hinduism (28,218), Islam (7,020) and Hinduism 45.9% Catholic (4,966).

Of the Fiji-born, 7.3 per cent stated 'No Religion' which was lower than that of the total Australian population (29.6 per cent), and 4.0 per cent did not state a religion. Islam No Religion, 11.4%Islam so described Other 11.4% 7.3% Religion Catholic Uniting 18.1% Other Catholic 8.1% Church Uniting Religion 8.1% 5.0% Church 18.1% 5.0%

Arrival

Compared to 61.8 per cent of the total overseas-born population, 74.4 per Arrival in Australia cent of the Fiji-born people in Australia Per cent (%) Fiji-born All Overseas-born arrived in Australia prior to 2007. 30

Among the total Fiji-born in Australia at 15 the 2016 Census, 13.0 per cent arrived 10 between 2007 and 2011 and 9.6 per cent arrived between 2012 and 2016. 5 0

Year of Arrival

Median Income At the time of the 2016 Census, the median Individual Weekly Income for the Fiji-born in Australia aged 15 years and over was $792, compared with $615 for all overseas-born and $688 for all Australian-born.

The total Australian population aged 15 and over had a median Individual Weekly Income of $662. Qualifications Qualifications At the 2016 Census, 64.3 per cent of the Per cent Fiji-born Total Population Fiji-born aged 15 years and over had some (%) 30 form of higher non-school qualification compared to 60.1 per cent of the Australian 25 population. 20

Of the Fiji-born aged 15 years and over, 15 4.6 per cent had no qualifications and were 10 still attending an educational institution. The corresponding rate for the total 5 Australian population was 8.5 per cent. 0 Degree and Advanced Certificate Level Inad No higher Diploma and Level Desc/Not Qualifications Diploma Level stated - Attending Ed Inst Level of Qualification

Employment Occupation Among Fiji-born people aged 15 years Per cent Fiji-born Total Population and over, the participation rate in the (%) labour force was 71.2 per cent and the 30 unemployment rate was 7.4 per cent. 25

The corresponding rates in the total 20 Australian population were 64.6 per cent and 6.9 per cent respectively. 15

10 Of the 38,841 Fiji-born who were employed, 46.5 per cent were employed in 5 either a skilled managerial, professional or 0 trade occupation. The corresponding rate Managers Prof Tech & Comm & Clerical Sales Mach Labourers in the total Australian population was 48.8 Trades Personal & Wrkrs Op & per cent. Service Admin Drivers Occupation

Produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics for the Department of Home Affairs

All data used in this summary is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population and Housing.