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| Certificate exempting Mrs Gee from sitting the dictation test |
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| The Gee family |
This artefact is a certificate of exemption from the dictation test, and had to be used by those who wished to regain entry into Australia after leaving for a period of time, those who were not ‘obviously’ of European descent. Without this certificate, the applicant could, upon their return, not be permitted to re-enter Australia. To obtain these certificates required the applicant to have lived in Australia for a minimum of five years and to be of good character.
The certificate would also detail the purpose of the trip and with whom they were travelling, for example a husband and/or children. As demonstrated in the above photograph, the full front and side profiles are included, with full details of nationality, height, age, build and finite details of complexion and marks on their skin.
Such an artefact supports other evidence of the extent of “legal discrimination” upon non-Europeans under the White Australia Policy. The Gee family for instance, was one such family. Mr Go and Mrs Hin Gee were married in Australia and rearing their children who were also born in Australia in the early 1900’s. However this family were required to produce an exemption certificate upon their return to the country any time they wished to visit family in China. Attached to this exemption certificate was the photograph that identified members of the Gee family. This exemption from the dictation test was only valid if Mrs Gee returned to Australia within three years of her departure.
Sherratt (2010) believes technology has allowed possibilities of exploration into the lives of these marginalised and powerless travelers. Further, he suggests “making best use of the technology of emotions and representation — how you use words and pictures and a story to impact, not just on what people think, but what they see in their mind’s eye”.
